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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23088943">Alitia: Crown of Ash</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/digitaldreams/pseuds/digitaldreams'>digitaldreams</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Alitia [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>No Fandom, Original Work</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alitia - Freeform, Cantors, Enchantresses, F/F, F/M, Heroes &amp; Heroines, Mages, Sequel, Witches, Wizards, magic and lesbians is back, updated every tuesday</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 11:55:10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>51</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>259,198</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23088943</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/digitaldreams/pseuds/digitaldreams</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>After the fall of the Possession Master, Millennia is left craving recovery. The damages left behind by the Thanatos War are immense, though the path to tomorrow is lined with light. Luce and her companions of the Second Camaraderie are returning to Alitia for their second semester with hopes of peace after the fighting. However, their break is short-lived after the assassination of the future queen of Igni. S.M. is quickly drawn into the incident, accused of being the one to take the princess's life. Soon after, a group of generals from Igni called the Alight Five begins to pursue the girls, each member wrapped in more mystery than the last. Legends of a group of war heroes from decades prior are surfacing as well, leaving countless questions lingering unanswered. The Second Camaraderie is being called into action once again, though none can say what lies at the end of their campaign. Regardless of the answer, Moonlight yet remains, ready to swallow them completely...</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Original Character(s)/Original Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Alitia [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1659493</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. I: The Dawning Day</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Luce returns to Alitia.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Mistakes were made.</p><p>Octavia Irikai ran as fast as she knew how to through the streets of Igni’s capital city, Aogan. Her feet slammed into the cobblestone ground, her shoes growing dirty quickly. No princess would be allowed to leave the palace under normal circumstances, which was exactly why she had run away. She was tired of being controlled, and it was time for her to break free.</p><p>Igni’s common people darted out of the way as she ran from her assailant. Her dark hair whipped against her tanned neck, and she could feel herself growing exhausted. Octavia was a sage none could hope to parallel, but in that moment, she wished she was a bit more physically inclined. That would make getting away much easier.</p><p>The commoners dared not to aid her. They were all leaths, forced into poverty by the oligarchy of mages that had ruled over the planet since ancient times. A leath touching a mage, much less a royal mage, was a sin tantamount to death, and they all had something to live for, just as Octavia did. She didn’t blame them for avoiding her. After all, if she had been in their shoes, she would have done the same.</p><p>A figure wearing all black seemed to sneak through the shadows, not bothered at all by the crowds. They slithered around more like a snake, and it wasn’t until Octavia shot a risky glance over her shoulder that the enemy was a snake. Somewhere along the way, they had transformed from looking like a human to being a slimy creature that evaded all in its path.</p><p>Octavia let a swear fly from her lips, and she was stopped when something wrapped around her legs. She looked down, realizing it was the snake, and let out a cry of surprise. Fangs dug into her tanned skin, and she screamed. Suddenly, her life was flashing before her eyes, and everything in her body hurt. It didn’t take long for her to trip over her feet and collapse, leaving her as a pile of limbs on the ground.</p><p>The snake slithered away not long after, and a shadow appeared around Octavia’s limp form. The shadow swallowed her, and Octavia let out a whimper, praying one of the nearby people could see her. However, a hazy shield had filled her vision, and she knew there was a masking charm on the nearby area. Nobody would be able to see her until the charm was lifted, and it likely wouldn’t be for quite some time.</p><p>When Octavia next opened her eyes, she was paralyzed on the ground looking up at the mysterious figure that had attacked her in the first place. Her body was quickly losing feeling, and she tried to cough, feeling blood in her throat from her rough fall. However, her body refused to cooperate, and her blood dribbled onto her shirt as she stared at her assailant with glazed-over eyes.</p><p>“Mistakes were made,” they whispered, leaning over to Octavia. “If you had been smart, you would have listened to your grandfather when he said not to associate with these corrupted peasants. Leaths should not be around mages. That is the order of the world. It has been this way since our planet was founded, and it won’t change just because you want it to.”</p><p>“Leaths are people too,” Octavia managed to mumble numbly. “They shouldn’t be treated as less than dirt for merely existing.” She cast a brief glance downwards to her leg, seeing some purple liquid leaking from her injury. This attacker had to be a poison mage of some sort. The numbness came from their power. That was the primary explanation she could think of.</p><p>“Leaths do not deserve to live in this dimension. Manifestation or not, they are more like the humans our ancestors vowed to escape generations ago than mages. Humans hurt us. They oppressed us. They killed us for simply existing. Allowing leaths, who are so similar to those who beat us down, to live as normal is ridiculous. You cannot find change by letting the same behavior continue in a constant cycle,” the person told her, scoffing at her words.</p><p>“They have mage blood. They shouldn’t be hurt in this way,” Octavia insisted, anger and fear in her eyes. “They are just like us. What would Moonlight think of all of this? How much would Starlight hate their children for harming one another for merely drawing breath? This is an act of monstrosity.”</p><p>“You have no right to judge me or any of my brethren. You should be like us. You’re a mage. You’re above them simply for existing. You have the sacred magic of our forefathers. Leaths do not. They don’t deserve to live in this universe. Send them back to that god-forsaken Earth for all I care,” the person murmured.</p><p>“They’ll die for their abilities!” Octavia yelped, trying to force her body to rise, to do something to fight this person. She wasn’t going to let them get the better of her. The Crown Princess of Igni bowed to no one. This was insulting to her on countless levels, and she wanted nothing more than to manipulate the earth around her to suffocate the fool who spewed all of this bull crap.</p><p>“It doesn’t matter in the slightest to me. If they wanted to live, maybe they should have tried being born with magic,” the person said with a shrug. “You tried to rile them up, to get them to fight back against the royal family... Your bloodline matters not before your crimes. You tried to incite a rebellion, and that is a crime worthy of only one punishment... Death.”</p><p>“You can’t do this! My parents... My grandfather is--” Octavia tried to say, feeling sweat start to roll down her face. This underground was so hot. Normally, it didn’t bother her due to her volcanic magic, but it was incredibly aggravating when she was trying to escape this mysterious assassin with hopes to take her life.</p><p>“The king? I don’t care. He hates leaths just as much as the rest of us mages do... Or rather, as much as us mages should. Exceptions to such a rule will not be tolerated. Igni has plans for you, fair Octavia... And those plans result in your death.” The person showed a knife and took a few steps towards Octavia, showing the blade in the limited light of the underground.</p><p>Octavia tried to squirm away, but she found she was unable to do so due to her numbing body. An arm wrapped around her body, and she looked at the knife as it hesitated above her chest. “Let me go!” she exclaimed, unable to tear her gaze away from the blade.</p><p>“Don’t worry a bit, Princess. This won’t hurt at all,” the person told her simply. She couldn’t see their face, but she could hear the smile they had on their features. Her heart beat a million miles an hour, and she wanted to be somewhere, anywhere, that wasn’t in the presence of this person. </p><p>Octavia stared at the knife for the what felt like thousands upon thousands of years until it came down onto her. Pain exploded from her chest, and she saw blood splatter everywhere in a grand display of crimson. However, that was the last thing that ever passed through the mind of Princess Octavia Irikai of Igni, as her consciousness gave way to darkness when death took her in its calm embrace...</p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Luce Elenes stepped out of the portal from Amity and onto the crisp green courtyard of the familiar Alitia lawn. A small smile spread across her face as she dragged her suitcase away from the rift. The hole in the sky closed soon after, and Luce looked around.</p><p>It had been a few weeks since the final battle with the Possession Master had drawn to a close. She and the others had split up for a few weeks as break came and went. Luce had gone back to Amity with the rest of her father’s mercenary company, training her skills with a sword and her magic along the way. Lianna had been a great help as always, and sparring with Cryon was just as delightful as it always had been.</p><p>Luce had missed Alitia in her time away from the school. She smiled to herself as she looked around the lawn. Everything had changed, and nothing had changed at the same time. The wreckage left behind by Iago’s invasion of the school had been cleaned away, and the sun was shining once again. However, it was still the same Alitia she had grown so fond of before the war against the Shadows had begun, and Luce had missed it. It was simultaneously different and the same as before, and she loved it in an odd way she didn’t know how to describe. Alitia felt like home, even after all this time.</p><p>“Good morning, Alitia,” Luce whispered, her grin wide.</p><p>Luce dragged her suitcase away from the green of the lawn and towards her dorm room. It had only been a few weeks since she was last there, but it felt like it had been ages. As much as she enjoyed spending time with the mercenaries, she had missed spending time with her friends. Everyone had split up to go home for the break, so even if Luce had stayed, she wouldn’t have been able to see them, but she missed them regardless, and her own longing was killing her.</p><p>Luce rounded the corner towards the hallway where her dorm was located. She didn’t bother knocking on her door, instead slipping her hand swiftly around the knob and twisting it quickly. She dashed inside, stopping her suitcase off to the side of the door.</p><p>“Hey, Luce.”</p><p>The first person Luce was met with was Sophia, who had a small yet radiant smile, just as sweet as she always had been. Sophia had stayed behind at Alitia over break alongside Tanith since she didn’t want to return home. Judging by the fact that Sophia was out in the main area alone, Tanith had left to do something else temporarily.</p><p>“Hey, Soph!” Luce smiled, wrapping her arms around Sophia. The two embraced for a few seconds before pulling away. “How was your break? I hope it was relaxing, because Starlight knows that we needed some time to take a deep breath and get away from the world after all that had happened.”</p><p>Sophia let out a sigh in response. “You got that right. I spent nearly every day in Millennium City, finding new books to read, enjoying local cuisine, buying new plants... It was lovely. The city is recovering steadily after Iago’s attack. The other schools are growing rather quickly as well,” she replied. “I dropped by Acadia for a while to help Headmistress Latheia clean up. Most of her heroines were dragged home by their parents since families were worried about the war crisis.”</p><p>“I understand that. I imagine my father would have panicked and lost his mind if he hadn’t been around there to see that I was fine,” Luce said. “It sounds like you had a lot of fun though. I’m glad to hear it.”</p><p>“I spent some time with Tanith as well. She’s helping Headmistress Satim to set up for the new semester. Alitia suffered a few damages in the fighting, but they’re already mostly fixed. However, there’s still a lot of work to be done before new students come in for the rest of the year,” Sophia explained.</p><p>“I thought most students came in at the start of the school year... You know, in the autumn and all that,” Luce remarked with a frown. She dragged her suitcase into her room, leaving it next to the entryway. She decided that she wasn’t in the mood to fully unpack it yet, deciding to take care of it later on. She would have time after greeting her companions.</p><p>“Most of them do, but some come in at semester. For example, Anneliese is starting at Sacred Heart. She’ll be joining in as a first-year student, though if you ask me, she’s too advanced for that since she has her Illunae already. Regardless, she’s going to be heading into Nebula’s dorm for the rest of the year,” Sophia replied. “Iris is the only one who’s come by so far. She dropped off her things and then went to Sacred Heart to help Anneliese set up her room. I bet Nebula is there too. She stayed here over break as well and did as much as she could to fix up both Sacred Heart and Sierra.”</p><p>“I’m glad to hear that everyone is coming together to help with the restoration process. It isn’t going to be easy to get things back to the way they were before Iago attacked, but if we all come together... I think we can pull it off,” Luce remarked, crossing her arms.</p><p>Sophia let out a small snicker. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were a motivational statement on a poster or shirt,” she remarked, punching Luce in the arm teasingly.</p><p>Luce didn’t flinch at the contact due to how much more mass she had in comparison to Sophia, but she did let out a hearty laugh. “Alright, alright... You got me there. Even if that’s the case though, you have to admit that I have a point. I haven’t seen this sense of unity anywhere before. Even when tragedy strikes, you don’t expect so many people to come together as a group,” Luce told her.</p><p>“Millennia is the heart of our magical universe. If there was any location known for its importance, it would be Millennium City. Of course people are going to step in when they learn that it’s been ravaged by Shadows. I understand your surprise though. After all, we all know that you can be pretty brutally realistic when you aren’t spewing emotionally touching speeches,” Sophia laughed.</p><p>Luce picked up a pillow off the couch and tossed it at Sophia teasingly. Sophia caught it just before it hit her shoulder, laughing at Luce’s attempts to get her to stop talking. Sophia dropped it back on the couch before speaking. “Alright, alright... I get it. I should probably keep from teasing the wall of muscle if it’s possible,” she commented.</p><p>“I’m glad that you’ve finally learned your lesson,” Luce chuckled. A warm feeling had blossomed in her chest thanks to the playful banter she was sharing with Sophia. It had been a long time since she was last with her friends, and she had missed it a lot more than she realized. It was good to be back.</p><p>The door creaked open, and Sophia and Luce stopped talking to see who it was. Luce gasped upon realizing who it was, a wide grin appearing on her face. She didn’t think she had ever been so excited to see someone.</p><p>The difference compared to the last time Luce had seen Sylvia was incredible. Sylvia’s regularly glassy and tired eyes had perked up. There was a lightness about her that Luce hadn’t ever seen before. No longer did she seemed weighed down by the burden of her own existence. Her skin had gained a tint of pink it hadn’t had before, and her hair seemed more vibrant. Her posture had grown better, and it was as if she was an entirely different person. Sylvia looked more like Zylphia or Carys than herself, and the sudden assault of all these changes made Luce stare. Her body refused to allow her to do anything else, and she spent far longer than was probably appropriate just looking at Sylvia’s body.</p><p>“Sylvia!” Sophia exclaimed, and her voice snapped Luce out of her trance. The nature enchantress walked forward and wrapped her arms around Sylvia’s body. Luce followed suit soon after, pulling her two close companions into an embrace.</p><p>“I missed you guys,” Sylvia said. The pace of her words had quickened, and that might have been the difference that caught Luce off guard the most. She actually sounded like she wanted to be alive after spending so many years hating everything due to the Thanatos Curse.</p><p>“What did you do over the break?” Sophia asked. She pulled away from the hug, though Luce and Sylvia remained close. As Sophie spoke, Luce pressed a brief, modest kiss to Sylvia’s forehead before wrapping an arm around Sylvia’s waist and standing beside her.</p><p>“I went back home... I actually got the chance to reconnect with my father after all this time. He was unsure about if the curse was really gone, but... After he saw me, Myra, and Chester, all his doubts were gone. I spent the entire break bonding with them. My mother might not be around anymore, but... The rest of us can still be close as a family,” Sylvia explained. “They’re going to be going back to school this semester as well. Their memories are mostly fuzzy after spending so much time under the influence of the Thanatos Curse, but it’s clear that they’re getting a lot better. It’ll take time for them to recover fully, but... It’s a step in the right direction.”</p><p>“I’m glad that things have been going well for you. I wasn’t sure of how your future would turn out after the curse was broken, but it seems like you’re enjoying the rest of your life now that it’s gone,” Sophia smiled. “It’s so sweet to see.”</p><p>“I get the feeling that you’ve finally learned what it’s like to not have to sleep all the time. You seem so much more awake. I mean, you could barely keep your eyes open when we first met at the start of the school year, but now... You’ve come so far, and I’m proud of you,” Luce told Sylvia, pulling her a bit closer into the hug. “I hope that you’ve been enjoying it too.”</p><p>“Of course! I can actually stay awake! I’ve been taking special care not to exhaust myself or anything though. I haven’t stayed up really late or anything because I’m not taking any chances, but... It feels so nice to actually feel alert. It’s like I’ve been living my life on one side of a glass wall, but I’ve finally crossed through it after all this time,” Sylvia sighed dreamily.</p><p>“Let me guess... It was like everything was being censored before now. It’s hard to enjoy life when everything you hear and see is dulled and fuzzy, but you can actually tell what’s going on now. I’m so proud of you,” Sophia smiled gently. “I’m sure the others will be happy to see that you’ve changed as well.”</p><p>“I’m still the same Sylvia at heart, so don’t worry about me being a new person. A few weeks away from Alitia wouldn’t do that to a person,” Sylvia laughed. “However, I do like to think of this as the new and improved version of Sylvia Loveknot! I’m taking my first steps into the rest of my life, and I’m enjoying it a lot more than I ever could have imagined.”</p><p>“I can’t wait for the others to get here and see you. They’re going to be amazed beyond imagination, I’m sure of it,” Luce remarked, ruffling Sylvia’s hair. Granted, it didn’t do much since Sylvia’s hair was already tied down in twin braids, but the gesture was still comforting to both Luce and Sylvia.</p><p>“What is it that we’re going to be amazed about?”</p><p>The trio focused their attention on the door, seeing a pair of new people there. It didn’t take long for Luce to recognize them as Helena and Carys. The two girls were standing side by side with their many bags next to them. Luce assumed that most of the bags belonged to Carys with the small remainder holding Helena’s belongings.</p><p>“Hey there, you two!” Sylvia chirped, throwing her arms around them. She didn’t stop laughing all the way, and her excitement was contagious. A few seconds later, even Carys, who was regularly grumpy and hated touching people, smiled and returned the gesture.</p><p>“You sure are excited today,” Helena commented. “Wow... I don’t think I’ve ever seen you so bright and chipper. I thought that your main thing was sleeping everywhere and barely keeping your eyes open.”</p><p>“Without the curse dragging me down, I can do more than I ever thought possible. I’m staying awake for an entire day, something I never imagined doing when the curse was still in effect. I can also cast magic without it draining the energy of the people around me. I did a few tests while I was back at home, and not only has my magic gotten stronger, but it doesn’t hurt others unless I want it to. If you ask me, I’ve made significant progress compared to how things were last time I was here,” Sylvia rattled, her words slurring together in her excitement.</p><p>“You’ll have to give us all the details when the other girls get here. I don’t know where S.M. is at, but I bet Iris and Tanith will be back here soon. Maybe Iris will bring along Anneliese and Nebula,” Sophia told the newcomers.</p><p>“That’s right! Anneliese is going to be attending Sacred Heart this semester,” Helena remembered. “I hope that this semester doesn’t wind up being as horrible as the last one. I’d rather not get attacked consistently by a man who’s over a hundred years old looking for a suitable partner for reproduction. It was... Well...”</p><p>“Awful!” Carys exclaimed dramatically. “It was terrible! We all know it was terrible! I’m just glad the guy is finally dead. It took him long enough to go to hell. Moonlight is going to have a lot to say to him in the afterlife. After Moonlight, it’ll be Starlight’s turn, and I get the feeling they’re both going to be pissed.”</p><p>“There’s the sin of attacking someone descended from the Keeper of Starlight, misusing a Moonlight Blessing, and then literally everything else he did. His soul isn’t going to see peace for a long time, and that’s assuming it ever does,” Helena remarked, shaking her head.</p><p>“I hope he doesn’t see peace! He doesn’t deserve it. We’re the ones who deserve some rest and relaxation after all that. The students of these schools are barely over twenty years old, and they had to fight in a war. We need some peace,” Carys sighed.</p><p>“Let me guess. Your idea of peace includes a serene spa day when we can dip our toes into some nice warm water while other people pamper us,” Sophia giggled, hiding her mouth behind her hand.</p><p>“Maybe that is it. Don’t judge me. I’m sure you’d all really enjoy it. We don’t have to fight for our lives in a spa,” Carys pointed out.</p><p>“I don’t know if I trust that given our luck last semester. Every single time we tried to have a nice, relaxing day in the city, something went horribly wrong. I don’t know if chancing it would be a good idea. I want to spend some time unwinding, but I’m not sure if we’ll get the chance,” Helena said with a frown.</p><p>“We’ll have to find some chance to do that then. Even if we were on break, I felt like I couldn’t fully relax. After spending half a year freaking out over if I would get attacked every second, I couldn’t properly calm down. It’s like the adrenaline rush of battle carried over into my break,” Sylvia admitted. “I know I’m safe, but I don’t think my body is fully aware of that yet.”</p><p>“I hope that changes soon too. You wouldn’t be the only one to think that. Even if he’s dead and gone, we’re still feeling the aftershock of his existence. I almost wish I could kill him each morning just to let myself know that I’m safe,” Luce snorted.</p><p>“What’s going on in here?”</p><p>A small figure appeared in the doorway, and when Luce looked a bit closer, she realized it was none other than Tanith. Tanith looked mostly the same as she had the last time Luce had seen her, though she did appear more tired than before. Her eyes were exhausted, and she looked like she was tempted to leave the world behind to become a full-blown hermit.</p><p>“Hey there, Tanith,” Sophia smiled, waving optimistically to the newcomer. “Are you finally getting a break from helping Headmistress Satim? You’ve been in and out of here all day.”</p><p>“I don’t know if I would call it a break... Zylphia wanted me to come get you all and make sure that you were ready for the announcement. She’s giving a brief speech now that all of the students are streaming back into the school. She has a lot to say after all that happened with the Possession Master, and I get the feeling the students are going to need some reassurance that the future isn’t filled with doom and gloom,” Tanith replied. The words tumbled off her lips frantically, and it was clear that she was running on adrenaline as a primary energy source.</p><p>“How has the Alitia restoration effort been going?” Luce asked. She gestured for Tanith to take a seat on the couch. Tanith pretended not to see Luce’s actions, but Luce took hold of her wrist and dragged her over to ensure she took a breather.</p><p>Tanith sighed once she was sitting, and her body practically collapsed in on itself, as if Tanith didn’t realize how overworked she was until she finally had the chance to sit down. “It’s been going well, I must say. Alitia is nearly entirely back to the way it was before the war started. The recovery process has been perfectly on pace for the school to be fixed fully in less than two weeks, though the remaining changes won’t impact classes. Teachers are hoping to pick up with their lesson plans from before all of this started, though I feel like that’s a lot easier said than done,” Tanith explained.</p><p>“I agree with that one. How can we just pick up our schoolwork like none of this ever happened? Sounds nearly impossible to me. We got in too deep to even think of forgetting all that happened at this place. Classes are cool and all, but we can’t really forget about the fact that we fought in a war for the fate of multiple planets,” Carys snorted.</p><p>“They aren’t asking us to completely forget. The scars of the war will never fully heal. All they want is to move towards the future. When we don’t want to look to the past, the future is all we’ve got, and we don’t want to abandon it now, right?” Tanith asked. She shook her head after a few seconds of silence. “Either way, we should probably get going. Zylphia is going to start talking soon.”</p><p>“Shouldn’t she wait until all the students have gotten back here? I know there are still a few people who haven’t arrived yet. For one, S.M. hasn’t arrived,” Helena pointed out, a small frown on her face.</p><p>“She’s sure that the people who aren’t here will get the message soon enough. This was the only chance she had to talk to everybody because of the restoration effort. The next few days are going to be chaotic as she tries to keep everything together. She can do a lot through sheer force of will alone, but willpower alone can’t keep this place fully on its feet,” Tanith shrugged. “We can always tell S.M. about it.”</p><p>“Iris should be headed back here soon too,” Sophia said. She had pulled her phone out of her pocket at some point when Luce wasn’t watching. Sophia tapped at the surface quietly. “I got a text while we were talking. She’s finished helping Anneliese set up and will be making her way back our direction shortly.”</p><p>“Perfect. In that case, we’ll only need to catch S.M. up on everything when she returns,” Helena smiled. “We should probably get ready to head out soon. I don’t want to leave Headmistress Satim waiting for too long. She’s under enough stress as it is working on Alitia’s restoration. Plus, I imagine that she’s been putting in work to help with the other schools as well... This war really did take a lot from everyone, huh? There’s no going back to how things were.”</p><p>The truth of her last statement left her words hanging in the air for far longer than was comfortable. All six girls stood still, processing the sentence over and over with hopes that it might go away the longer it was left alone. As much as they hated to admit it, she had a point. No matter how much they tried to pray that things went back to normal, they wouldn’t be doing that for quite a while, and that was assuming it happened at all. Even so, nothing would ever be fully the same again. The traces of war remained around them everywhere, and a return to form was something that only existed in dreams just out of reach.</p><p>Luce was the first one to speak up after Helena’s statement cut through the air. “We have to get going. There’s no reason to stand around here when there’s other business to take care of out there, right?” she asked. She helped Tanith rise to her feet before starting to head for the door. The other girls followed her lead, walking out of the room.</p><p>Luce was the last one left in their dorm, and she glanced over it one last time. Even if things never went back to how they were before, she was glad to have returned to Alitia once again. A small sigh left her lips as the door creaked shut once again. “Good morning, Alitia,” she whispered again, and she left. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>THE SEQUEL IS HERE AND I'M SO READY MY BODY IS READY</p><p>I've been waiting for Crown of Ash ever since Welcome to Millennia ended, and now, it's time for some fun stuff! Instead of perverted asshole villains, we get racist asshole villains! That's a step up, right? ...What do you mean it isn't? Damn it. </p><p>I'm going to be updating this again tomorrow to get into the rhythm of Tuesday updates, so I hope you guys are ready for more content soon!</p><p>-Digital</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. II: Unspoken Heaviness</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Zylphia gives her speech to open the semester, and S.M. explains what happened on Igni during break.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Luce walked out into the courtyard of Alitia, following her friends quietly. The rest of the students of Alitia were already out there for the most part, and the area was heavy with a constant chatter. Nobody seemed to want there to be a moment of silence. The sound was easy, but it had weight behind it at the same time.</p><p>People were reuniting with their old friends, seeing people they hadn't spoken to in weeks. This brought a sense of joy, leaving many people to smile and buzz around. The happiness couldn't be denied, and in a way, it was contagious.</p><p>However, the other end of the spectrum was just as contagious. The concern in the air was present, though it was left unspoken as opposed to the excitement. Letting quiet wash over the area would mean that people had to think about what happened with Iago Thanatos. The silence was a confession that it had happened. Quiet would let people start to think, and thinking was the last thing any of them wanted to do where he was concerned.</p><p>Time had passed since his death, and since the war as a whole, but it was going to take a lot longer to get rid of the memories left behind. Luce still felt the constant sense of danger weighing down on her shoulders from time to time. No matter how much she tried to convince herself she was safe, that Iago was dead by her hand, she couldn't seem to believe it.</p><p>Was she doomed to this life forever? Was concern going to be her primary issue for the rest of her life? Luce had been somewhat relaxed before going to Alitia, though she now feared she would never be able to go back to how she had been before Iago entered her life. She had killed him, for Starlight's sake, but she still couldn't forget him. The Possession Master still had a grip on every student at Alitia.</p><p>If Luce had to guess, this wasn't just an issue at Alitia. There was no doubt that the other schools were suffering as well. Acadia's scars ran as deep as they came. The school had been brought to little more than rubble in the war, traumatizing the students within. Sacred Heart and Sierra's students had been possessed by Iago, meaning they had less to remember, but the memories that did exist were fuzzy reminders of the horrors they had committed by Iago's command. Ridgeview and Angelwood were in the same boat as Alitia, and if Alitia was taking this long to heal, there was no doubt the other schools were struggling to pull through too.</p><p>Luce was stopped in her thoughts when she walked into a person's side. She let out a small gasp and looked to them apologetically. "Sorry."</p><p>Luce gasped when she realized she recognized the person in question. She hadn't met Mina Maestre very many times, and the few times that they had interacted were rushed and didn't bear much fruit, but the face was unmistakable.</p><p>The person next to Mina was perhaps even more unmistakable. Luce felt a smile appear on her face as she looked to S.M. in excitement. "There you are, S.M. We were wondering where you had gone," Luce remarked.</p><p>S.M. hadn't been focused on Luce at first, but she looked up when she heard her name. "Luce... Hey. I didn't expect to see you here," S.M. said simply.</p><p>This was surprising to Luce, if she was being honest. S.M. was a naturally perceptive person, even if she could get a little bit snarky and sarcastic. She noticed nearly everything going on around her, though she sometimes hid this behind a mask of feigned innocence and dry comments. S.M. not realizing she was there was strange in Luce's eyes.</p><p>When Luce looked a bit closer, she could see that S.M.'s gaze was partially glassy, as if she wasn't fully paying attention. Luce frowned, trying to get a handle on what was going through S.M.'s head. However, she couldn't seem to figure it out, and she made a mental note to ask her about it later on. S.M. wouldn't be getting away from this one as long as Luce was on the job.</p><p>Luce was about to turn to her companions, who she realized were standing just in front of Mina and S.M., but she was cut off when the familiar sound of heels clicking against a hollow stage rang out. Luce looked up, catching a brief glance of red hair as her eyes transitioned. It appeared Iris had arrived with her other friends.</p><p>Zylphia Satim was just as poised and mysterious as she always had been. She managed to capture the attention of a crowed in the blink of an eye without ever needing to reveal a thing about herself. She was poised yet closed-off, the perfect combination to make one of the most powerful enchantresses to ever breathe. She was just as dignified as Luce remembered, and, as a dark part of Luce's brain would remind her, just as terrifying as well.</p><p>Zylphia looked out over the crowd, waiting for the students to quiet down. It didn't take long for them to do so, and quiet passed over the courtyard in an eerie fashion. It was heavy, just as Luce had suspected it would be. Luce held tightly to the promise of words from Zylphia coming soon to keep her thoughts from descending into hellish depths.</p><p>Zylphia looked to the microphone before her and tapped her hand against the device. She gazed out over the crowd one last time, her eyes grabbing hold of every student's attention in the blink of an eye. She nodded to herself when she was sure that everyone was waiting for her before opening her mouth to speak at last.</p><p>"Good morning, students," Zylphia began. "Welcome back to the Alitia Academy campus. The second semester of the current school year is upon us at last, and I'm relieved to see you have all made it back here safely."</p><p>There was a brief moment of chatter among the crowd, though it settled down to silence once again when people saw that Zylphia was waiting. She smiled serenely, though Luce's perceptive gaze could see that there was some tension resting behind those eyes. It was unsettling, though it didn't entirely surprise Luce. After all, a lot had happened, and Zylphia had to shoulder the worries of countless students in these trying times.</p><p>"Weeks have passed since the end of the Thanatos War. With the Thanatos bloodline exterminated, we can expect no future issues involving the relatives of the Possession Master attacking us. We are safe to restore both our school and our planet in peace. The future might be uncertain, but we can grasp it and walk forward with the knowledge that serenity will be coming shortly," Zylphia continued.</p><p>Luce stole a brief glance downwards. The Thanatos bloodline hadn't exactly been taken out, and she knew that Zylphia was fully aware of such as well. After all, Luce herself shared some blood with Iago, and it was that part of her that she reviled most. Iago's bloodline still lived on, though none had inherited his power. It was the second part that mattered most in the matter of reconstruction. Nobody needed to know where the hidden Blessing of Moonlight Luce had been born with had come from. Nobody needed to know how she shared a connection with countless people scattered throughout the dimension.</p><p>"All of the schools in the Millennium Six are recovering steadily. Classes will be resuming shortly, and within the next two days, we will be prepared to teach you all once again. There is no threat to our population in or outside of the schools. Careful sweeps have been conducted to ensure no documents are falsified to reduce the risk of another potential traitor. You have nothing to fear going forward," Zylphia went on.</p><p>"Sweeping for falsified documents... That means no more punks like Iago can get in here," S.M. murmured. "Thank Starlight, Moonlight, and every other holy being out there. If I had to deal with another version of him, I would lose it."</p><p>Mina nudged S.M. gently, a small frown on her face. S.M. looked up at her, concern in both of their gazes. In the end, they said nothing else, instead focusing their attention back to Zylphia.</p><p>"If you have any questions or need anything in the coming semester, feel free to ask the teachers. We will have a few counselors on the campus in the next few weeks to talk to the students who need to discuss what happened. The healing process will be long and difficult, but nobody needs to go through it alone. You have a family in all the students of the Millennium Six. Each student in Alitia is here to support you no matter what, and that will never change. You are not alone," Zylphia declared, her eyes narrowing solemnly as she spoke.</p><p>The moments that followed were silent, but the quiet was nowhere near as scary as it had been a short few minutes before. Instead, the quiet was comforting. It was a sign that everybody in that courtyard was there for everyone else. Zylphia was right when she spoke of solidarity, and none of the students of Alitia were going to object to it.</p><p>"I will be here personally to speak to anyone who wishes to discuss what has happened with the Thanatos family. The other head teachers will be doing the same at their own schools. If you want to talk, there are people here to listen. Like I said before, you are not facing this alone. All of us were there when Millennia nearly fell, and we will be here to support each other no matter what. Even if your struggle is unrelated to the Thanatos War, there are people here to listen to your problems and help you through it. That much I can promise you," Zylphia said.</p><p>Luce took in her words carefully, making sure that she remembered everything Zylphia was saying. She couldn't think of anything off the top of her head that she wanted to discuss in that moment, but she would keep it in mind for later on when she might need to communicate about issues. Luce hoped that she would never be pushed to that end, as she wanted peace for the rest of her life after the Thanatos conflict. Iago had been enough of a pain, and she didn't want to deal with anything else like him.</p><p>"We will be working long and hard to ensure that Alitia is restored to its former glory. While the recovery process is mostly finished, a few small projects yet linger. Any who wish to volunteer to aid the school's administration can do so after I am finished speaking. Do not feel pressured into doing it if you don't wish to. This is an optional project for the sake of improving the community, and I don't want to force anyone into it. We have suffered enough as it is, and I will not add further burdens onto anyone's shoulders. This is the least you all deserve," Zylphia went on.</p><p>For a moment, Luce thought that maybe she should volunteer. It would give her something to do while she was waiting for her memories of Iago to disappear fully. However, she was stopped when she looked over to S.M. and saw how distracted she was. She wanted to make sure that S.M. was alright before she did anything to help Alitia as a whole. The school might have been her extended family, but her closest relatives in this metaphorical bloodline were her roommates, and she had to take care of them first.</p><p>"I know you all have unpacking to take care of, so I won't keep you any longer than I already have. Remember that we are all here to help you should you need it, and you are not alone," Zylphia declared. "Thank you for your time."</p><p>Zylphia stepped away from the stage as the thunderous applause of the students echoed in the air. Luce joined in soon after, watching as Zylphia took up a place standing near a bush that had just started to sprout once again. A few students walked over to her, likely to volunteer for the improvement projects she mentioned. Luce watched them for a fleeing moment, but she pulled her eyes away when she looked over to Mina and S.M. once again.</p><p>"Is something on your mind, S.M.?" Luce asked, cutting to the chase immediately. The break hadn't changed her bluntness one bit.</p><p>S.M. practically jumped out of her own skin when she heard Luce speak. She looked over to Luce after Mina tapped her shoulder and pointed to the blue-haired girl. "Oh. Hey, Luce," S.M. said simply.</p><p>"You seem distracted. Is something bugging you?" Luce questioned, rephrasing the question with hopes that it would get an answer out of S.M. this time.</p><p>S.M. hesitated, looking up to Mina for an answer. Mina responded with a loose shrug, as if telling S.M. that this was her choice to make. Mina patted S.M. on the back and pulled her into a brief hug before walking away, leaving S.M. to stand alone with Luce in the courtyard. There were multiple dozen people around them, but they were focused only on each other and the heavy question hanging in the air.</p><p>"I'll tell you when we get back to the dorm. I only want to go over this once," S.M. replied. "Let's get the others and head back."</p><p>Luckily for S.M., the other six girls seemed to be one step ahead. They were all talking together quietly, starting to walk for the door. Luce gestured for S.M. to follow, already knowing that their companions were headed for their shared apartment.</p><p>The walk back to the dorm was thick with tension, and Luce thought she could cut through the intensity with her sword. Part of her thought that she would have done so if she hadn't left her sword back in her dorm with the rest of her stuff. The other segment of her mind watched S.M., wondering what could have gotten her this down.</p><p>Even back when Iago had been on the loose, S.M. had never behaved this way. It was foreign to Luce, and not in a good way. S.M. had nearly died because of Iago on multiple occasions, but she always managed to keep her mask up. However, something had happened over break to shatter this façade, and whatever it was had to be bad to earn so much of S.M.'s attention. Luce had no idea what it could be, and the possibilities that swirled in her mind worried her much more than she cared to admit. Some of them were likely overreactions, but there was no way to say yet, and the tension was killing her.  </p><p>It wasn't until after the eight girls were all back in the dorm that anyone said anything. Iris and Luce hadn't technically said hello to one another since Iris got back from helping Anneliese and Nebula, but neither one of them commented on it. Instead, their full attention was on S.M., who flopped down onto the couch in the central area of their apartment. Everyone watched her with concerned eyes, curious as to what could have her down like this all of a sudden. </p><p>"What's bothering you?" came Sophia's sweet voice eventually. She sat down next to S.M. and took the girl's hand in her own fingers, giving it a gentle squeeze of reassurance not long after. </p><p>S.M. looked over to Sophia and sighed, shaking her head a few seconds later. "I went back home for the first time over break, and a lot happened. That's the short way of explaining it," S.M. said bluntly. </p><p>"Well, we can take the long way. I mean, we have more than enough time and nothing to do," Iris pointed out. "If it's bothering you, we're happy to listen to the full story, or at least as much as you're willing to talk to us about."</p><p>S.M. nodded. "I guess it wouldn't hurt. You guys know that I'm a mage and all that. I've got magic. I always have had magic. However, I'm not a full-blooded mage. My father is a leath who has half-leath blood and half-mage blood. My mother was never supposed to wind up with him, but she did, and that causes a lot of issues back on Igni," she began to explain. </p><p>"I know about Ignite culture pretty well," Tanith said next. "It's an oligarchy run by the upper class, and said upper class consists solely of mages. Leaths are a majority of the population, but they're forced to the bottom of the class system because they don't have the outward ability to use magic. Mages use leaths as servants, and being kind to them is seen as a sign of weakness that can result in having power taken away. It's one of the worst planets to live on if you're a leath, because it essentially dooms you to a life of poverty until the day you die."</p><p>"You got that right. My mother is one of the many children of the king. That man could never stay loyal, to say the least, so he has what feels like a million consorts from different noble mage houses around the planet. Nobody cares about that since it's a mage associating with a mage. However, my mother was not the type to hate people based solely on magic, so she fell in love with a leath. She would have been disowned by the family on the spot if not for her mother kissing my grandfather's ass to keep her around. However, that doesn't exactly save her children from having to deal with all of that anti-leath crap," S.M. continued, an angry huff of a sigh leaving her lips. </p><p>"They don't like you because you're part leath," Helena concluded. </p><p>"You got it. Even if I'm a mage and most of my relatives are mages as well, that doesn't matter. That little part of me that's a leath is hated and despised by everyone. Our parents kicked both me and Mina out because of it. They didn't really have a choice. It was either that or be executed by the king for treason. What a lovely place to grow up, huh?" S.M. asked. She let out a snort, chuckling under her breath despite the distinct lack of humor to the situation. </p><p>"You went back for the first time after they kicked you out over break then," Sylvia murmured. "Isn't that dangerous? If people really hate leaths so much, and if you're part leath, then--"</p><p>"Yeah, it was a risky move. We were both aware of the danger, but we did it anyways. I guess we wanted to try and reach out to our parents again. Mina hasn't liked them since what happened with them kicking us out, thinking that proper parents would defend their children from abandonment, but she knows that maybe there's still a chance for my relationship with them to change. She insisted that we try and figure this out, even if it was more for my sake than hers. The point is we went back even though we probably shouldn't have because we wanted to try and talk to our parents one more time," S.M. replied. </p><p>"I'm guessing that it didn't go well... You seem rather upset, and you wouldn't be this worked up if it had gone in your favor," Carys remarked, a heavy frown on her face. "You look ready to punch something."</p><p>"It's... It's complicated. We didn't get the chance to talk to them at all, which is incredibly frustrating, as I'm sure you would imagine. However, the main thing that I'm worried about is something else entirely. In fact, it's more about the death that shook Igni this past week," S.M. answered. </p><p>"Death?" Luce echoed, her eyes widening. "Who died?"</p><p>"The king declared his granddaughter, my cousin, Octavia Irikai to be his heir. She has the surname of the royal family because she wasn't disowned for having leath blood in her veins, but Mina and I decided to take our father's name because we apparently aren't good enough for the royal family," S.M. explained with a sigh. "Octavia was not what you would expect from a princess of Igni, to say the least."</p><p>"Anyone who knows anything about leath rights on Igni has heard of her," Tanith murmured. "Despite being a princess, she cares greatly for leaths and would do anything to help them rise above their current social station. She thinks that they deserve better than to suffer at the bottom of the societal ladder. Most other members of the royal family don't want change because to them, equality for leaths means taking rights away from them. What a ridiculous philosophy, huh?"</p><p>"Octavia left the palace about a week ago for what she claimed was an innocent diplomatic mission. In truth, she was going to meet with a leath rights group to try and rebel against the tight grip the crown has on the rights of leaths. However, it didn't exactly go well. The rebellion was meant to ask for basic rights like increased pay, shortened work hours, and increased healthcare, but none of it turned out like she had hoped. Some royal guards showed up and started attacking. Octavia remained firm, but lives were taken in the process of trying to make change. She was forced to retreat from the scene, promising the local people that she would return to aid them again one day," S.M. went on. "She wasn't able to uphold that promise."</p><p>"You were talking about a death on Igni... If you're discussing her, I would say that she has something to do with it... Is she the victim?" Helena questioned, her face pale. The idea of murder clearly had her unsettled. </p><p>"As much as I hate to say it, you're spot on. She was found stabbed to death in the middle of a town near the castle. There aren't any clues on how to identify a culprit yet, but this is definitely upsetting a lot of people regardless of if they're leath or mage. In fact, this was probably the worst part of my trip back home," S.M. murmured, shaking her head. "Octavia didn't deserve this."</p><p>"All she wanted to do was gain equal rights for other people. Apparently, having a sense of empathy on Igni is a sign of weakness. Don't care about leaths, because if you do, you will get assassinated and left to suffer until your inevitable death," Carys declared, her tone mocking as she rolled her eyes in a grand display of sarcasm. </p><p>"Even if she was raised to hate leaths, Octavia didn't really care much about what other people had to say about her. She fought for them because she knew that they were people who deserved respect just as much as mages. Her death is a sign of one thing for all the leaths of Igni: things aren't going to be changing soon. She died for her ideals, because she was revolutionary. She was too much for Igni to handle, so it got rid of her," S.M. sighed. </p><p>"It shows the leaths of Igni that they're going to be suffering at the bottom for a long time, at least until the current king gets off the throne. If somebody who was standing up for them was killed despite her high social class, it shows that mages don't care about leaths. Anyone who helps them is seen as complicit. Octavia tried to help them, and she died because of it. If a mage died trying to help leaths, it means that leaths themselves can expect to suffer if they try to make the world change as well," Tanith murmured. </p><p>"Exactly. I know that I really don't suffer much in comparison to the people who don't have magic on Igni... But still, being forced out of my family because I share blood with a person who doesn't have magic... It sucks. Igni's class society has hurt so many people before. Octavia was trying to change that. Her death shows me that other people like me can expect to be disowned and abandoned for a long time into the future. It also shows leaths that they don't matter to the upper class and won't for ages. It's awful," S.M. grumbled. </p><p>"Octavia dying isn't just a sign that somebody hated her. It's a symbol of the society that wanted her to die for her thoughts... I can't believe a planet can be that awful," Sophia murmured. "I'm not going to say Fortunia is a paradise. I would be lying through my teeth on that. However... At least it isn't like that. Leaths are treated well on Fortunia, and they don't need to fight for the right to occupy space in their own home. I don't know how anyone in your family can stand beating them down."</p><p>"I don't get it either, but everybody in Igni's upper class has a stick up their ass about being the best to ever exist. They think they're inherently better than leaths just because they have magic rather than a manifestation. They think they're better than mages from most other planets because they don't sympathize with leaths. They think they're better than mages with leath blood because they don't share blood with 'filthy ones'. They can't seem to grasp equality since they think they're so much better than everyone to ever exist, and it's incredibly frustrating. Being around them for too long can and will give you a massive headache," S.M. sighed. </p><p>"Well, if anybody like that ever comes around here, we'll just have to give them a sound thrashing. People with huge egos really do drive me up a wall," Carys admitted. </p><p>"You're one to talk," S.M. teased, rolling her eyes once again. </p><p>"Hey! At least I'm not racist!" Carys cried out. </p><p>"That's a pretty low bar to pass... Yikes, Igni is awful," Luce mumbled with a shake of her head. </p><p>"Regardless, I don't want to think about that place anymore. Thanks for talking to me about it, girls. However, I don't think I want to use this room as a therapist's office anymore. I want to distract myself and stop thinking about how much I want to snap somebody's neck and then burn their body alive," S.M. said next. </p><p>"I do hope none of us are that someone," Iris frowned, crossing her arms. </p><p>"Of course not. At least you're not racist," S.M. teased, looking over to Carys. The ice enchantress let out a heavy sigh of frustration and flopped backwards onto the couch in response. </p><p>"Maybe we could go on and unpack our stuff," Sophia offered. "That could be a nice group bonding activity. Most of us left campus for the break, so we can use this chance to get all our stuff out of our bags to decorate this place again. I'm glad that you had fun spending time with your families, but the apartment truly was dull with most of you gone for so long."</p><p>"Sophia is right. We had a lot of fun together, but the rest of the place was so barren. I'm glad that we're all back together again. This time around, we won't need to deal with any wars either," Tanith smiled. "Even if there are people acting like children regarding equal rights, at least that won't threaten our lives on a daily basis over here. We can't exactly leave here to get involved with it on Igni either."</p><p>"That's probably the best thing to do with this situation. I'm sick of constantly putting my neck on the line because I don't have an option in the matter," S.M. sighed in relief. She started to walk for the door after rising to her feet. "I should go and grab my stuff out of Mina's room. She wanted me to stay with her for a while right after we got here, so all of my bags are with her."</p><p>"Tell Mina that we all say hey!" Iris exclaimed, waving to S.M. with a grin. </p><p>"And tell her that I apologize for running into her like a moron earlier," Luce chuckled, reaching for her own bags. She started to undo the zipper, moving her sheathed sword off to the side to keep it from getting in her way. </p><p>"She doesn't mind it at all, but I'll tell her anyways," S.M. shrugged to Luce. "Anyways, I'll be right back. See you later." S.M. opened the door and walked out, letting the gentle click of the lock tell the others that she was gone. Her footsteps faded away into the distance. </p><p>"It's good to be back," Iris smiled. "It's been less than two hours, and we've already had a deep emotional discussion about issues that bother us. That's a great way to start off the new school year, wouldn't you say?"</p><p>"It's like going back to old times. I seem to recall us having a similar emotional talk when I explained how I was related to the Possession Master last year," Sylvia remarked. </p><p>"We did. However, we don't need to worry about him anymore. He's not alive to pester us," Carys grinned. "Thank Starlight for that one."</p><p>"We can enjoy this semester like normal students then. It won't be boring either since nothing is boring here at Alitia. If you ask me, this is going to be perfect. Bonding with the girls, not being in mortal peril, and having fun all at once? Sounds like a dream come true!" Tanith exclaimed. </p><p>Laughter covered the room, and Luce couldn't help but join in. She was already starting to feel at home again, and she didn't want this feeling to go away ever again. Starlight above, she had missed this place a lot.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I MISSED THESE GIRLS SO MUCH</p><p>-Digital</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. III: The Alight Five</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Surion Irikai calls upon his trusted generals to find the truth behind Octavia's death. Meanwhile, Altina is reminded of the painful past.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Surion Irikai of Igni sat atop his throne and looked out at the ground stretching out before him. His dark hair was cut close to his tanned face. His eyes were brown and hardened, and if one looked close enough, they could see speckles of red here and there. He was known for being terrifying, and he certainly lived up to his reputation. Crossing Surion was one of the worst mistakes anyone could make while living on the planet of Igni, and he intended to show that to anyone who dared to break the rules he had set forth as the king of the land. </p><p>He wore typical royal garb for the kingdom. His clothing consisted of extravagant clothing of red and orange hues, something traditional to show the fiery origins of the land. It was a display of power to all who saw him, and, fittingly enough, his clothing made him seem just as terrifying as he was. </p><p>News of Octavia's death had reached him a few days before. She had been found stabbed to death near the castle. It was a simple assassination, and while it was tragic, it wasn't something he didn't expect. After all, members of royal families died all the time. It wasn't abnormal for them to be killed due to their position. Surion had endured quite a few assassination attempts in his many years of life, and it was tragic to him that Octavia had died in a way so unfitting of a princess. </p><p>Octavia had been his heir for years now. Surion and Octavia got along rather well. She was obedient and soft-spoken enough to listen when he had instructions to give, but she was good at talking to others and gaining favor as well. Octavia struck a perfect balance in between respect and revolution, something Surion had grown to appreciate over the years. If he claimed they got along all the time, he would be lying, but Octavia had been his favorite grandchild for as long as he could remember. If he was going to be passing the throne onto anyone, it was going to be her. </p><p>Unfortunately, such plans were shattered with the information that she had died. There wasn't anything they could do to change the truth of the matter, but it was still a tragedy. Octavia was meant to lead Igni into a state of prosperity that would help the planet to grow to a great kingdom. Igni had not been considered a great world for many generations, but Octavia was going to change that. </p><p>However, now that she was dead, those plans were as good as ash in the wind. It was frustrating, yes, but nothing could be done to bring her back. There was no known way to resurrect the dead, and even if there was, it would likely be immensely dangerous. As far as Surion was concerned, he would have to look to the future, even if Octavia wasn't around to see what her kingdom would become. </p><p>The first thing on Surion's list was to figure out who had killed Octavia. </p><p>The common people and nobles alike had been upset to hear of her death. There were many who disliked her, claiming she was too much of a departure from the norm of Igni, but there were many more people who admired her and looked up to her with great respect. Justice was being demanded. If they were going to look to the future, the people wanted answers behind who had killed the princess.</p><p>Surion knew exactly how he was going to find the truth behind Octavia's killer. It didn't take him long to find a solution, and he was sure it would work. After all, this group had never let him down before. </p><p>Surion had called in the Alight Five to meet with him already. They were known as the most powerful generals in the Ignite army. For years, groups of fighters had been chosen to defend the crown, and the Alight Five was the best of the best. They were handpicked by the ruler of Igni themselves, and nobody would dare to question their authority. They were second only to the ruler, and disrespecting them was a crime tantamount to treason. </p><p>A knock came at the door to the throne room, and Surion looked up. "Enter," he called sternly. His voice echoed throughout the throne room until it was cut off by the sound of the door's hinges creaking open. </p><p>Five figures appeared in the entryway, and Surion couldn't help but smirk. "Welcome," he remarked. He didn't gesture for them to come inside. He knew they would do so regardless. </p><p>Surion turned his attention first to the leader of the Alight Five. December Yaenu was as strong as it got on Igni. Her hair was a dark blue color edged with a deep hue of purple, and it was cut close to her face in a bob. December's eyes were a piercing purple color. She wore a blue shirt with matching leggings under violet armor. Her boots were black and laced up to her knees. A silver sword hung from a sheath at her waist. She had black gloves on as well. </p><p>December was known for her prowess with the element of ice. She wasn't born on Igni, instead having come there seeking power. At least, that was the story she told everyone else, though it was impossible to say if that was the truth or not. December had an aura of mystery about her, and none were able to figure her out fully. However, it was known well that she could use a sword better than most people, and when that was combined with her ice magic, she was unparalleled in a battle. Rumors stated that she was on par with members of the Starlight Camaraderie from the War of Starlight twenty-five years prior. Her raw, unmatched prowess brought her to Surion, and he had no intentions of letting her go. </p><p>"You wished to see us, Your Majesty?" December asked, her voice relaxed and neutral. </p><p>"Would this have anything to do with the death of Princess Octavia?" came the voice of the next general, Arisu. Their voice was high-pitched and childlike, and they were only being kept in a serious state by December. </p><p>Arisu's hair was split between being black and silver, and it never seemed to find a proper way to settle. Their hair was short, ending just above their shoulders. They were tall, almost the same height as December, and had skin tanned as if they had never been indoors before. Arisu wore the typical uniform for a soldier of Igni with its burgundy and black. Their chest plate was a deep red like their shoulder pads and torn cape. Their boots were burgundy as well while the rest of their clothing was as dark as the night. Their eyes were a piercing silver color, as if pure glass had been captured and placed inside a human's body. </p><p>Arisu had left their weapons behind for this meeting, it seemed. Regularly, one would see them with their two swords. It was difficult to say what magic they had since they used it so rarely. In fact, only those who were close to Arisu had been told the secret of what power they possessed. It was clearly one not native to Igni, though Surion himself was still unaware of what it could be. He decided to let Arisu have this secret, knowing he wouldn't get the answer no matter how hard he tried to weasel it out of them. </p><p>"Of course it does. How could it not?" a third voice cut in. </p><p>Surion turned his attention to the third general, one Eros Aldegund. His black hair curled near his face, and his expression was set with constant intensity. His green eyes stood out when compared to his tanned complexion, something typical of people from Igni. He wore black robes lined with purple with brown boots. Black gloves covered his hands similar to December. </p><p>Eros had an axe in one hand, as if he had expected a battle when he was called to meet with the king. The axe, called the Ravager, was infused with a powerful fire magic to augment the power that Eros already had. He was a terror in battle, and his axe had struck down many a powerful foe. This raw strength had gotten Eros to where they were now as a member of the Alight Five and an elite soldier working for Surion. </p><p>"You are correct in your assumptions," Surion frowned, placing his hands together in front of his chest. His fingertips brushed against one another gently, though his palms never touched fully. "With the death of Octavia, Igni must consider its next step. I have an idea as to where we should start though... I believe I am aware as to who killed Octavia, and we need to eliminate them before they grow to be a danger to the rest of the planet."</p><p>"You already know?" asked a fourth voice, prompting Surion to look to River Scorn, another member of the Alight Five. </p><p>River's hair was short and wavy highlighted in silver. Their irises appeared to be broken, as if cleaved in half. Their black pupil stood out against the shattered background. Their clothing was mostly white and consisted of a tank top with leggings. Their boots were black and clearly worn down. The jacket River wore tied around their waist was an exception to the white rule, instead being a deep maroon color. All of their clothing had various dark patches, as if it had been burned away by some outside force. Their tanned skin was dotted in the same darkness, and it was easy to assume that their skin had been burned from the inside out. </p><p>River had power over ash naturally, though they were far from stable in magical control. Their raw power got them so far, but it was hard to say how well they could keep it from spiraling out of control. None knew much about River, and that included the king himself. However, they were the child of a previous member of the Alight Five, and Surion would trust that previous general with his life. Surely River must be willing to follow in their father's footsteps to serve not only the crown but all of Igni. They were likely trying to get better at controlling their powers as well, which was all Surion really needed to know in order to be calmed from his concern. </p><p>Surion nodded at River's question, closing his eyes in contemplation. "I do, as a matter of fact. I would like you all to work on tracking this person as well. You're my most trusted generals, so if anyone can take care of the issue, it would be you," he replied. </p><p>"Then give us the word." </p><p>Surion looked to the final member of the team, who was coincidentally the youngest as well. Cerise Yaenu was December's adopted daughter and an incredibly powerful mage, someone not even the king would want to provoke. She was something of a prodigy, and she knew her way around a battlefield, regardless of if it involved combat with words or weapons. </p><p>Cerise's hair was black and cut short like December's was. A single electric blue streak ran through it. She wore a black shirt with navy leggings. She had black boots on as well, though the laces were a crisp white color. Her eyes were as blue as the sky, and her ears were heavily pointed. Cerise had a blue moon necklace that hung from a string of pearls. The charm rested on the silver chest plate she wore. A sheath of silver attached itself to her blue belt, and inside was a ceremonial blade of a blue color. </p><p>Cerise was special among the ranks of the Alight Five. The other four were mages, but Cerise wasn't just a mage. She was a Blend. Her powers were over electricity and shadow magic. Neither type of magic was typical on Igni, something that made sense given that she had come from a foreign planet just as December had. It was unknown how Cerise made her way to Igni due to her youth, but it was clearly a secret she and December guarded closely. Not even Surion was aware of such, but he wasn't going to risk asking them and driving away his two most powerful generals in the process. </p><p>Surion smiled at the obedience of the five generals before him. "I'm glad to hear that we've all come to the same conclusion about this situation. Princess Octavia was beloved by nobles and commoners alike. She was going to usher in an era of prosperity for Igni, and her future was cut short because of the crimes of this unknown figure... It is time for them to see pain like what they have brought to the rest of us," he declared. </p><p>"Who is it? We can't exactly go out and take care of them until you give us a name," Arisu frowned. </p><p>"Are you going to make a big announcement about it?" Eros questioned. </p><p>"Maybe other people will be able to help us out if they know who we're searching for," River suggested. </p><p>"No. It's going to remain a secret. I don't want this person to hear the truth and go on the run to avoid you. Besides, they aren't on Igni anymore, so people here knowing wouldn't help us at all," Surion said. </p><p>"What planet are they on then?" Cerise asked, her eyes narrowing intensely. </p><p>Surion snapped his fingers, creating an illusion that showed a three-dimensional map of Millennia. He pointed to a small area on the northwestern area of the planet. The generals knew this location well due to prior knowledge of Millennia's geography. That was where the Millennium Six were located. It was the most populated place on Millennia, and the people in the Magia Dimension with the most potential found a home there. </p><p>"Millennia," December murmured. She turned her attention to Surion. "Give us the word, and we'll take care of it as soon as we can. The culprit will not get away with what they did to Princess Octavia."</p><p>Surion sat back in his chair once again. "Sana Maestre," he said simply. "My traitorous granddaughter is responsible for committing this terrible crime. She has caused enough issues leading up to this point due to her leath blood. It's time that we end her life once and for all."</p><p>December examined Surion for a few moments, remaining deadly silent. When she was finished, she nodded, bowing her head to the king. "Understood. The Alight Five will do as you command," she told him simply. </p><p>Surion nodded, a satisfied smile spreading on his lips. "You are dismissed."</p><p>December bowed her head to him once again before turning on her heel. She gestured for the others to follow her. "Alight Five, we leave as soon as possible. Make your preparations. We're setting a course for Alitia Academy."</p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Anneliese let out a small sigh as she placed the last small stack of clothing into her drawer. She wiped some sweat off her forehead using the back of her hand. "There. Finally, we're done."</p><p>Anneliese and Nebula both looked around their shared room at Sacred Heart. Anneliese was transferring there to join the first year class, and Nebula was set to be her roommate. Most rooms were filled, but Nebula's apartment dorm had one bed left, and it just so happened to be in Nebula's room. The others in her apartment were all good friends and tended to ignore her, so Nebula was more than happy to have found company in a familiar face. </p><p>"I must say, this place looks a lot more festive than it did back when I was the only one in here," Nebula remarked. She looked at the various colorful posters that now dotted the walls. There were ceremonial weapons courtesy of Anneliese here and there as well. The walls had been painted a pale yet vibrant blue color thanks to a touch of magic. </p><p>When Nebula had been living there alone, she didn't bother to decorate it. She had been discouraged from the start by the way her roommates hit it off so quickly, so she didn't hang out in her dorm much. However, Anneliese was certainly making herself out to be a much-needed dose of liveliness Nebula hadn't realized she needed. </p><p>"It's a shame Iris wasn't able to see our efforts to completion, especially after she did so much to help us out," Anneliese frowned. "Still, I guess that just gives us an excuse to invite her and everybody else over to check it out before classes start up in a few days. They're going to want to see this. Besides, we haven't seen them since the night the fight against Iago ended. I know for sure that I'm going to want to catch up after all this time we've spent apart."</p><p>"Same here," Nebula nodded. "I've enjoyed the break from classes and all that, but there's nothing quite like hanging out with the full gang again... Maybe we could ask if they want to invite Cessair to come along too. I'm sure she would really enjoy getting out of Alitia, especially since I doubt she left much during the break."</p><p>"Yeah... Since her mother is a teacher there, I bet she was roped into helping Alitia put itself back together. On top of that, Sacred Heart, Sierra, and Acadia weren't in the best condition either... I bet she would be happy to finally interact with people her age again," Anneliese agreed. </p><p>"I can't wait to see everyone's efforts culminate though. There should be ceremonies held soon to celebrate the reopening of the schools now that they've all mostly rebuilt. Acadia is bound to be something special. Maybe Headmistress Latheia has decided against having a glass dome over the courtyard this time. It certainly didn't work out too well the last two times," Nebula teased, letting out a small laugh. </p><p>Her humor was clearly dry and uncertain, so Anneliese let out a brief chuckle and left it at that. "Yeah. If that dome goes down, everybody spirals into endless suffering and pain. I wasn't there the first time the dome went down, but Iris told me about it. People had glass lodged in their arms for the rest of the night. It took a lot of experienced healers to fix everybody up. They were working overtime after the party at Acadia," Anneliese said. </p><p>"Hopefully, that won't be an issue anymore. There's no more Possession Master, and that means no more people can get possessed by an ancient and unholy power. If you ask me, that's the best gift the new semester could possibly bring. Not fearing for my life is something I never thought I would take for granted, but I really did miss being able to just exist while the war was going on," Nebula sighed. She sat on her bed and flopped backwards, her head propped up by the many pillows rested near her headboard. </p><p>"Plus, now that I'm a student here, I won't need to sneak away from home anymore to help out if something does go wrong. No more Rune for me! If you ask me, that's a victory too. As much as I loved being a mysterious figure nobody knew much about, it's nice to be able to show my face without needing to panic," Anneliese told Nebula. </p><p>"This semester is looking to be much better than the last one, which is all I can really ask for at this point," Nebula murmured. "After all, last semester was a mess on countless levels. I didn't think I'd ever look forward to going back to classes again, but it's the kind of peace and stability I need after what happened last semester. I want to take a deep breath and step away from the chaos that we all got used to while Iago was still alive."</p><p>"Just hearing his name makes me want to be sick," Anneliese scoffed. It was impossible to say for sure if she was joking or not, though either way, it would be a proper response. "At least his body was burned beyond recognition before it was dumped in the ground. I bet he's continuing to burn in the fires of hell even now."</p><p>"You got that one right," Nebula agreed. She looked over to her phone, picking it up before checking the time. She cringed at how late it had become. "I guess we got more distracted with decorating than we thought. It's almost time for us to go to bed."</p><p>"You act like that's a bad thing," Anneliese laughed. "Your--erm, <em>our </em>roommates aren't back yet, so we can continue to do whatever we want. They went off to have fun in Millennium City for the night, right?"</p><p>"Yeah. They wanted to celebrate being back at Sacred Heart with a shopping night. Everybody celebrates in their own way. Personally, I wouldn't dare to go out into Millennium City for a shopping trip with them. I think it's a lot more fun if you let Carys drag you around. She might be a bit spoiled, but she's got an eye for what works and what doesn't," Nebula commented. </p><p>"We'll have to put that on the to-do list then," Anneliese told her. "For now, I'm wiped. I think I'm ready to crash. As much as I want to stay up and enjoy my first night in Sacred Heart, I believe the festivities can wait until tomorrow. After all, this place isn't going anywhere. We've got time to enjoy it later on."</p><p>"Exactly," Nebula nodded. She let her eyes slip closed for one moment, and when she did, she realized that she was much more tired than she ever could have expected. "I guess you're not the only one who's wiped out. We can talk more in the morning. We can make plans with the others to hang out then too."</p><p>"Perfect," Anneliese grinned. She rolled over and snapped, prompting the lights in their room to flicker off. "I'll see you in the morning, Neb. Goodnight."</p><p>"Night," Nebula replied. She smiled at the nickname and curled up into herself. She was back at Sacred Heart, but this time, she had a friend there at the school with her. Nebula wouldn't be lonely again, and she couldn't even begin to express her happiness at such a thought. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>"Evening, Min."</p><p>Altina walked through the door of the apartment she shared with Minerva, kicking the door shut behind her. While Sacred Heart and Acadia were being restored, they had the chance to be at home together much more than usual. That was likely the only upside to the attacks of the Possession Master, and even so, it came with bitter consequences from all sides. </p><p>Minerva had been sitting on the couch, waiting for Altina to come home, for the past ten minutes. She looked up upon seeing Altina enter, setting down her bottle of alcohol in the process. "You're home later than I expected," Minerva remarked, rising to her feet. She stretched her arms above her head before popping her neck and approaching Altina. She pressed a brief, sweet kiss to Altina's cheek. </p><p>Altina wrapped an arm around Minerva's neck as the fire mage kissed her before sighing and practically collapsing into her own chair. She started to undo the braid she had her hair tied in. Regularly, she preferred to let her dark tresses flow freely, but with the intensive physical labor that came with restoring Acadia to its former glory, she had to have it tied back. She set down the hair tie keeping the braid together on the arm of the chair. "There was a lot of work to do today. Students are staring to come back, and we had to get them settled in again on top of finishing reconstruction," Altina replied. </p><p>"Well, you don't need to worry about that now. The rest of the evening is yours," Minerva pointed out. She walked to the small kitchenette nearby and grabbed a small glass. She poured Altina some wine before returning to the main space of their home. She sat down on the couch and gestured for Altina to do the same. </p><p>Altina finished undoing her hair and shook it out with a few motions of her head. She popped her fingers before moving to sit next to Altina, accepting the glass with a thankful nod. "I don't know how much I'll be able to do though. I'm exhausted after all that I did today," she admitted before taking a swig of her drink. </p><p>Minerva nodded her understanding before reaching for her own bottle. "Sacred Heart was pretty intense today too. I doubt it's anywhere near the state of Acadia, but it's a mess to deal with. War isn't pretty on any front, but the recovery has to be one of the worst parts. After dealing with a living nightmare, we have to put the pieces of life back together to get everything back to normal. It's aggravating at best and painstaking at worst," she murmured. </p><p>"It's impossible to get back to how things were beforehand though," Altina sighed. "Nothing will ever be the same again. That's one of the real worst parts of war. Once it starts, you can't go back to how it was before the fighting broke out."</p><p>Altina cast a brief glance to the fireplace nearby. Their apartment was far from decorative or festive since they weren't there too often, but the mantle of the fireplace was the one exception. Many photos in colorful frames sat on top of the fireplace for free viewing. </p><p>Most of them were pictures from when they were still students at the Millennium Six. There were pictures of Minerva and Altina from their first date and the many that followed. A few pictures showed the end of the war when the Starlight Camaraderie was still together. One had Dawn smiling brightly at the camera. Another displayed the group of eight graduating so many years before. One of Altina's personal favorites was a picture of Minerva with ice cream on her face after Jin tripped and made her dunk her nose into her cone. </p><p>However, Altina's gaze bypassed all of those pictures to focus on one that sat near the edge. It was the only picture of one of their families, making it stick out like a sore thumb amid bright and cheerful memories. Minerva hadn't spoken to her parents in years, having left behind her old life on a sour note. Altina, on the other hand, had a rather positive relationship with her family, even if it had been ages since she last communicated with them. </p><p>The picture showed Altina at age seventeen alongside her brother and sister. She was in the middle of the two of them and her parents, Sessar and Karla. They looked like a perfect family from a first glance, all nearly identical with the typical dark hair and matching eyes of their home planet of Ranalite. </p><p>Real life was far less pretty than the simple picture though. Altina hadn't seen her parents since a civil war broke out on her home planet over twenty-five years before. It was impossible to say what fate had befallen Sessar, Karla, or Altina's siblings. They had once been as close as could be, but it all came crumbling down after the civil war started. </p><p>Leaths had always been looked down upon by Ranalite society. It came to a head when war between the mages and leaths broke out, and Altina's noble family was shattered. They had been living under the lie of being mages, but when they were revealed to be leaths, everything Altina had ever known went to dust. There was no going back, and nothing would ever be the same again. </p><p>Altina couldn't help but wonder what had happened to them. The lack of confirmation burned her from the inside out, but she had no way of tracking them down. Altina had attempted countless times over the years to figure out the truth behind what fate had befallen them, but her attempts always ended in failure. She knew her sister was widely presumed dead, but without a body, Altina wasn't believing that for one moment. </p><p>Salem Latheia was perhaps the one she worried for the most. Altina's brother didn't have a manifestation to help him fight. He was a tactical genius, a prodigy in his own field. However, he hadn't ever learned to defend himself, meaning he was left vulnerable as could be when the war started. After the Latheia family was divided, he was left alone, and as far as Altina could tell, he had been left for dead. </p><p>"It's alright."</p><p>Minerva's voice snapped Altina out of her thoughts. She looked back to her partner and let out a sigh. "You're right," Altina murmured. All that had happened with reconstructing the world of Millennia after the war reminded her of Ranalite. She hadn't been able to put the pieces of her old life back together, and even all these years later, the fear that she wouldn't be able to fix this remained. </p><p>Minerva pulled Altina a bit closer, and Altina let her head rest on Minerva's shoulder. Minerva placed her cheek on the top of Minerva's head before taking another drink from her bottle. She rubbed at her mouth with the back of her hand. "What do you say to us turning in early for tonight? I know we both need the rest," Minerva suggested. </p><p>"That sounds lovely," Altina replied, closing her eyes. She made no efforts to move from that spot, instead letting the cozy atmosphere cover her like a blanket. She hadn't been able to save her old life, but she had a new one now, and getting caught up in the past was the last thing she needed. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Altina and Minerva melt my heart I love them</p><p>I love the idea of kickass women who could beat you up but are also adorable and sweet</p><p>-Digital</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. IV: Shattered Reunion</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The girls plan to meet in Millennium City.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was nearing the middle of the day the next morning, and Luce swung a small backpack onto the bed in her room. She searched through her suitcase to find small objects to drop inside (her wallet, her phone, a notebook, and anything else she thought would be useful). </p><p>Meanwhile, Helena was tying her magenta hair up into a ponytail a few feet away. "I'm glad that Anneliese and Nebula want to see us already. It's been a long time since we were last able to hang out, and... Honestly, I don't think it's ever been all eleven of us," Helena commented as she pulled her ponytail tighter. Her hair cascaded over her shoulders as she reached for a brush to remove a few lingering tangles that had somehow stuck around after her first time grooming that morning. </p><p>"It probably feels like it was a lot longer ago than it was because of all that's happened lately. I mean, fighting against the Possession Master in his damn war sure did mess with my perception of time. A reality check in the form of a day in Millennium City is just what I need," Luce commented. She opened the door to her room and poked her head out. When she saw the other people from their dorm were already standing outside, she nodded to herself. "Alright. Everybody else is ready."</p><p>Helena set her brush down before grabbing a few loose ponytails to wrap around her wrist in case of emergency. She grabbed her own bag as Luce pulled hers on over her shoulder. The two girls did one final sweep of the room with their eyes before heading out into the main area of their dorm. </p><p>Classes at Alitia still weren't starting up for another few days, so the eight girls decided to take advantage of this by heading out to Millennium City together. It had been Nebula's suggestion, one she made earlier that morning in a group chat they had made during the previous semester. It was going to be the eight of them plus Nebula, Anneliese, and Cessair. The water enchantress was set to meet them outside the school gate since her room was so far from the student dorms. Luce was somewhat worried that there would be some mixup involving Cessair, but she prayed that wasn't the case to keep issues to a minimum. After all, they were trying to have fun. </p><p>Then there was the matter of dealing with the elephant in the room. The last time the girls had been in this situation of going to Millennium City a few days before classes started, Iris got her Isolis. As good as that was, it had only happened because of an attack led by Iago. It had been one of their worst battles due to their collective inexperience with magic, and since only Iris and Luce could transform, the others couldn't do much but be thrown around by Iago. It had been a painful experience for them all, and going back there under similar circumstances left the unspoken fear that history would repeat itself even if they all knew that was incredibly unrealistic. </p><p>As soon as Helena shut the door, the lock clicked gently. Carys took that as a chance to start walking towards the exit of their dorm. "Well, if we're all finished and ready to go, let's hop to it. After all, this day isn't going to be fun on its own," she told the rest of her roommates. She practically threw open the door that led out into the hallway, letting it slowly creep shut until Sylvia grabbed it and held it open. The other girls softly gave their thanks to the blonde enchantress of energy as they passed by. </p><p>"Nice dramatic exit," S.M. commented to Carys, crossing her arms over her chest. </p><p>"Thank you! I'm glad you liked it," Carys replied, not seeming to pick up on the sarcasm in S.M.'s voice. </p><p>Luce watched S.M. cautiously as they walked through the hallways of Alitia. In a way, S.M. was one of the reasons they were going out in the first place. There had been the suggestion at first to stay home and work on unpacking, but when Sophia reminded the girls of how upset S.M. had seemed when she talked about Igni, they decided to go for it. Going to Millennium City was a small gesture, but Luce was hoping it would be one that had a positive impact on S.M.'s mood after she had felt stormy and turbulent for so long. </p><p>Luce had been so focused on thinking about S.M. that she didn't even realize it when the group had arrived outside until a stray breeze hit her cheek. She did her best to not look surprised with her own inability to focus, instead concentrating on finding out where Cessair was. She glanced around the courtyard before her gaze fell upon a familiar mop of red hair just outside the gates of the school. </p><p>Carys, who was still leading the group, made her way over to where Cessair was positioned while the rest of the girls trailed after her. "I'm glad to see that you're here on time," Carys commented. </p><p>"Hey there, guys!" exclaimed Cessair, a wide grin breaking out on her face in her excitement. "I'm so excited to go out and see what Millennium City has to offer nowadays. I haven't had much time to visit since the fighting started a few weeks ago."</p><p>"That's what today is for. We can see how the city has changed and have fun while we're at it. If you ask me, it's a perfect combination," Iris smiled. "We're going to be meeting Nebula and Anneliese at a small restaurant for lunch. Hopefully, things will all go as according to plan."</p><p>"I don't think my poor little heart will be able to take it if the day gets too far from our original schedule," Sophia commented with a small laugh, though it was clear that she was still thinking about the last time they had been in this situation. It was understandable that she would be worried. Reassurance could help, but it was difficult to get rid of underlying anxiety with words alone. </p><p>"Hopefully, there won't be anything to worry about. And even if something does happen, we can totally take care of it. You know us. We're great at fighting and dealing with common issues," Iris pointed out. </p><p>"I don't think anything that we've been involved with really constitutes as a common issue, but I suppose I'll have to take your word for it," Tanith remarked. </p><p>"Either way, I can't wait to see Anneliese and Nebula again. It's going to be great seeing Anneliese more often now that she's a student at Sacred Heart. We'll have to plan out more of these nice girl gatherings since we'll have an extra girl hanging out with us," Cessair suggested, a wide grin still on her face. "Imagine how much fun we could have!"</p><p>"We have to get through this first one before we can start coming up with ideas for future meetings, but I agree that it's going to be great," S.M. pointed out. Something similar to a genuine smile had appeared on her face, and for a moment, Luce didn't see any of the weary exhaustion she had noticed when S.M. first appeared to her at Alitia. It was relieving, to say the least.</p><p>"Let's get to it then," Helena smiled. With that, the nine girls set off towards Millennium City, all excited for what the future held. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>The girls had just reached the outside of Millennium City where the lush green trees started to turn into silvery buildings. The woods in between the Millennium Six schools and Millennium City itself were just the same as they had been before everything happened, and Luce had to admit that she was relieved to see that. </p><p>The final battle against Iago had taken place in these woods, and he had died after being stabbed among the trees. Luce would be lying if she said that she liked being there after the brutal battle from a few weeks before. She was happy that she didn't know exactly where Iago had died, because she didn't want to suffer from any nightmares or flashbacks about the way his face contorted when her sword found a snug home inside his heart. </p><p>Suddenly, Cessair stopped walking. "Hold on," she squeaked, her voice barely audible above the rustling of the leaves in the gentle breeze. "I think I heard something."</p><p>"I'm sure that it was just the trees," Tanith said, though it was clear that she was trying to convince herself more than anyone else in the group. </p><p>Luce heard a small whirring noise, and she frowned to herself. That was the sound portals made. Somebody had teleported into the area near them, and if she had to guess, it wasn't Nebula and Anneliese. Sacred Heart wasn't that far away from where they were, so why would they waste magic? </p><p>Luce heard footsteps on the grass, and she turned to see what could have made such a sound. She saw a group of shadows in between the trunks of the trees, and she snapped her fingers to get the attention of her companions before pointing ahead towards the source of the sound. </p><p>"Who goes there?" S.M. asked, her voice overflowing with bitter resentment. </p><p>The group of figures stepped out of the trees, though Luce didn't recognize them. They were being led by a tall woman with dark hair and an oddly familiar facial structure, though she couldn't put a finger on where she had seen it before.</p><p>"Who are you? Why are you following us?" Carys questioned, her eyes narrowing as she summoned icy energy to her hand. </p><p>"What are you doing here?" S.M. inquired intensely. </p><p>"Do you know who they are?" Sylvia hissed to S.M., turning her attention towards the other girl. </p><p>"I do, as a matter of fact. These five are the highest-ranking generals of Igni. They go by the name of the Alight Five," S.M. replied before listing off their names from left to right, though she left the woman in the center for last. "Cerise Yaenu, Eros Aldegund, River Scorn, Arisu, and their leader, December Yaenu."</p><p>"Why are they here?" Sophia murmured, taking a small step back. She could feel the hostility in the air, and it was clearly getting to her already. </p><p>"We ask that Sana Maestre return with us to Igni," the woman with dark hair said. If Luce had to guess, this one was the December Yaenu S.M. had mentioned. </p><p>"She's being charged with the murder of Octavia Irikai," Arisu told them next. </p><p>"You can come along quietly or face us in battle. Either way, we will get what we want," Eros snarled next. The malice in his voice was enough to make Luce's gaze linger on him for a moment longer than it likely should have. He clearly hated the group for some reason or another, though Luce had no idea what the logic behind such hatred could have been. After all, aside from S.M., none of them had ever heard of this strange group, and S.M. didn't appear to know them well, if at all. </p><p>"We're not going to just let you waltz in here and take our friend. I don't know who sent you or why, but this is <em>so</em> not going to happen," Carys scoffed. "Now, why don't you leave before we make you go back to whatever hell you crawled out of? We have better things to do than stand around and put up with this."</p><p>"Quit it with the attitude," S.M. said harshly, shooting Carys a glare that could kill. "They're the most respected generals from my home planet, and it would be best if we tried to remain civil at the very least." </p><p>"That doesn't give them an excuse to come here and start making demands though," Carys huffed, shaking her head and crossing her arms. </p><p>"You don't need to fight with us," River cut in, a frown on their face. "If you let the girl come with us to sort out this issue, then--"</p><p>"You're probably just going to have her executed as soon as she gets back to Igni," Iris cut in. "That's the price for an assassination. The killer is left to die themselves. Am I correct?"</p><p>"We have no intentions of hurting her ourselves," December said, her voice remaining even. "I do not wish to fight you, but if that's the way it has to be, then... So be it. We will prepare ourselves."</p><p>"Isolis time!" Sylvia exclaimed. A few seconds later, light covered the area as the nine enchantresses transformed into their Isolis variations. </p><p>Luce shifted fully as her companions did. It felt good to have wings again after not needing to transform during her break. For a moment, she remembered the last time she was in this form. It had been the night Iago was killed. However, she wasn't going to let that stop her from protecting her friend from danger. The Alight Five clearly had no intentions of backing down, and if they weren't going to surrender, then Luce and the rest of her group would have to return the favor of fighting. </p><p>"It doesn't need to be this way," came the soft voice of Cerise. Despite standing among a group of older generals feared by many, Cerise was rather calm. The age difference between her and her comrades was noticeable, and Luce wondered in passing why she was a general on Igni instead of a student at Alitia or Sacred Heart. </p><p>"If that's how they want it to be, then fine. I'm happy to oblige," Eros scoffed. He reached for his back, pulling a large axe out of its holder. "Death to those who defy Igni and all of that fun stuff."</p><p>Cerise closed her eyes, and a few seconds later, she transformed. Her hair was down, though there were noticeable curls in it now. A blue tiara sat among her dark hair, and wings of purple and blue sprouted from her shoulders. She wore long violet gloves on her arms and had blue tattooed designs on her ankles. Cerise had a blue sleeveless top lined in purple with a black gem at her chest. She had purple shorts on as well, and extending backwards from the hem was a transparent sky blue veil. Judging by her appearance upon transforming, she was an Illunae level mage, putting her at an advantage already since Luce and her companions were only at the Isolis level. </p><p>The only other member of the group who decided to transform was River. They wore pale clothing splotched with many gruesome burned holes. Their wings were the same, though they were far less damaged than the rest of their body. Luce could barely make out a cropped shirt and leggings among all of the burns, and she assumed by the large wings that they were at the highest level of magic, Inlustris. </p><p>In other words, they were in trouble. </p><p>"Surrender or face the consequences," came the even voice of December a few seconds later. She drew her sword, and ice crystals forged all along the blade. It shone in the sunlight, and Luce could tell that December's weapon was something with immense power, and it would be best if they didn't trifle with it. </p><p>"I don't know why you think I killed Octavia. I have nothing but good things to say about her. I wouldn't ever stoop that low," S.M. told December, her hands clenching into fists. "Who gave you these orders? I at least have a right to know that much, don't I?"</p><p>"It was the king himself, goofball," Arisu scoffed with a dramatic roll of their eyes. "Why else do you think we're here? We're the ones he uses for only his most important missions. Anyone familiar with Igni culture should know that well, but I guess you aren't as smart as you look."</p><p>"The king thinks that you killed the heir to the throne?" Helena hissed to S.M., her eyes wide in shock. </p><p>"If he really believes that, then he's sorely mistaken, and he's going to realize that soon enough," S.M. replied simply before turning her attention back to the Alight Five. "I don't know why he would think that I did this, but I refuse to appear before the king under any circumstances. Go on and tell him that too."</p><p>"That's your mistake then," December sighed. "I was truly hoping it wouldn't come to this... Generals, we fight. Do all that you must in order to take Sana Maestre into captivity, but do your best not to murder any of the girls. I wish not for that to be on your conscience." </p><p>Eros was the first one to rush forward, large axe in hand. He seemed all too pleased by the notion of fighting the group of girls. He raised the axe high in the air before jumping and slamming it into the ground. Fire magic crackled and came to life, though the grass itself did not burn. Something in the axe, or perhaps something in Eros, was ensuring that there be no fires among the trees that day. After all, magic was what its creator made it out to be, and in that moment, Eros seemed to believe the fire had to be merciful. </p><p>However, it was not entirely a blessing. </p><p>Sophia had been a bit too close to the axe when it struck the ground, and she was sent flying backwards. She righted herself at the last moment, demanding the grass grow to catch her before she hit a tree when her wings failed her. The plants gently eased Sophia back onto the ground, and she gave them a silent nod of thanks before letting them return to normal size. She turned her attention to Eros, and the horror on her face showed loud and clear that she had seen the madness in his eyes. </p><p>Carys was the first one to lash out at Eros, summoning a column of ice to attack his axe. If they could extinguish the flames, he wouldn't be able to do anything overly risky, and he would be forced to use his magic, putting him on an equal playing field with the girls. She poured her energy into the blast of blue magic, but Carys let out a gasp when she realized it wasn't doing anything. It was as if his weapon was immune to her power, and nothing she tried would change that fact. </p><p>Arisu was the next one to jump forward, slashing their two swords through the air in front of Iris. She jumped back to dodge the first strike, but the second one knocked her off her feet, and Iris hissed when she realized the attack had drawn blood at her ankles. She touched the tender skin, wishing she was better at healing, as Arisu pointed one of their blades at her chest. </p><p>A rogue attack from Cessair knocked Arisu off their feet, and they were left on the ground from the tidal wave that had come out of nowhere. Cessair seemed unsure of the attack, having never been in a battle outside of those fought for the freedom of Millennia during the war with Iago. Even then, she hadn't done much but get rid of the remains of Shadows, and her lack of combat experience was starting to show already. </p><p>Arisu got to their feet quickly and moved towards Cessair. They raised their sword to strike her, but then they remembered what December had said about not killing any of the girls. Instead, they turned around their sword, slamming the hilt of it into her temple. Cessair dropped like a rock as soon as the sword made contact with her head, and she transformed back to normal. She didn't get up after she hit the ground, and judging by the way the skin around the wound was already turning fiery and angry, the attack had likely given her a concussion or something similar. </p><p>River created a column of power before firing it at Tanith and Sylvia, but the two managed to fly backwards to avoid it. However, the column soon grew larger and seemingly went out of control. River watched it with fear, but they were unable to stop the attack from slamming into Sylvia's torso. Sylvia was sent sprawling into a nearby tree, and the trunk was cleaved as soon as her spine made contact with it. She slumped to the ground, clutching desperately at her stomach to make the pain go away. </p><p>Luce weaved her way in between the Alight Five before finding herself face-to-face with December. She clicked her fingers together, summoning a sword made out of pure light. Lianna had taught her that trick while she was on Amity for break. Luce grabbed the sword from the air before slipping into a fighting stance. "Why are you here?" she asked. </p><p>December slipped into a battle stance of her own, though it was different from the one Luce took up. Something about the way December carried herself was familiar, regal and mysterious, but Luce couldn't figure out for the life of her where she could have seen it before. "I am under orders from the king to apprehend the suspect in the murder of Octavia Irikai," she replied bluntly. </p><p>"What proof does the king have that she killed him? Why would he suspect her but let her leave without any resistance?" Luce questioned. "His thinking that she killed Octavia isn't enough. We want actual solid evidence that S.M. could have been involved. Unless you have that, you're going to have to deal with us."</p><p>"I can't say how the king thinks. His mind words in mysterious ways," December answered, turning her sword over in her hands. "If you wish to stand in the way of our goal, then that is your mistake. You will face the consequences of your actions soon enough, and I can promise that they will not be pleasant."</p><p>Luce frowned. This clearly wasn't going anywhere. "If that's how you want it to be, then fine." Luce swung her sword in a broad arc forwards, the blade of light slamming into December's own weapon without a loud clanging sound that echoed mercilessly throughout the trees. December didn't falter under the attack, instead merely watching Luce with a peculiar sense of curiosity. Her sword was unmoving.</p><p>December let her sword remain stationary as Luce struck a few more times. The general of Igni didn't bother moving at all, and it seemed as if Luce's attacks bothered her very little, assuming they had any impact on her in the first place. </p><p>Luce was suddenly knocked off course by an attack from Eros. A wave of fire had lashed out from his axe, slamming into her ribs. Luce was carried by the sheer force of the blow before landing in the grass and sliding against the dirty. Her shoulders and lower back already burned from the rough friction, and she groaned as she used her sword of light to get to her feet.</p><p>It had been a while since she had fought in a battle like this, but she knew one thing for sure: these five were far more powerful than Iago had been. In fact, just one of them could have probably killed the Possession Master in the blink of an eye if they had been present during the war against him. Eros, December, and Arisu hadn't even bothered to transform, instead letting their own raw power carry them in the fight. She didn't even want to imagine what would have happened if they had shifted into their other forms (which had to be Inlustris or Illunae if they were this strong). </p><p>Iris dodged underneath an attack from Cerise before using the metallic parts of her outfit to create a shield. She blocked a shadowy attack from the other girl, ready to play the long game until the Illunae mage tired herself out. </p><p>However, Iris didn't get the chance to do so before Cerise lashed out with an electric attack. Electricity surged through the shield, and Iris felt it course through her body. She let out a scream before falling to the ground, her shield forgotten a few feet away. She was conscious, but only barely, and moving too much was sure to send her to the ground once again. </p><p>Arisu approached S.M., continuing to slash their swords as they got closer. S.M. dodged each hit, though Arisu suddenly lashed out with a kick, and S.M. doubled over. Arisu gave S.M. a quick blow to the side of the head, and S.M. didn't move when she fell to the grass. </p><p>Eros went after Helena and Carys, who were flying in the air nearby. He swung his axe in a grand display, sending waves of fire after them both. Carys got hit while Helena managed to dodge just in the nick of time, and Carys felt pain rush through her system. She went down when her wings were unable to right her direction fully. </p><p>Helena attempted to dive after her sister, but she was left unable to do so when another attack from Eros hit her wing and knocked her off course. Helena fell to the ground, lucky to have not sustained severe damage to her wing. However, both the girls transformed back to normal when their skin hit the ground, and they groaned in pain. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Anneliese and Nebula stood in the streets of Millennium City alongside Minerva and Altina. While Anneliese and Nebula were heading out that morning, they had been stopped by Minerva. She needed to gather a few more supplies for one of the teachers, and she offered to walk with them to Millennium City until she could meet with Altina to find what she needed. In the end, the two girls had agreed, seeing no reason to refuse the request of the headmistress. </p><p>None of them had spoken much since they arrived in Millennium City. Minerva and Altina had one more block to go before they could split off from the girls to gather the supplies they needed from a local store. Nebula and Anneliese, on the other hand, were heading towards the restaurant they had agreed on having lunch at alongside the nine girls from Alitia. </p><p>Suddenly, a curve of fire appeared in the sky, and it was clearly far from natural. Minerva held up a hand to stop the others from continuing. "Did you see that?" she asked. </p><p>"What was it?" Anneliese questioned, her eyes glued on the spot the fire had been in the split second before it disappeared. </p><p>"It looked like it was coming from the woods leading from Alitia to the city," Nebula commented. </p><p>"Let's go investigate," Altina said. She took off into a sprint, her hair flowing freely behind her. </p><p>"Right behind you, Ti," Minerva told her, breaking into a run soon after. </p><p>Anneliese and Nebula shared a brief glance before deciding to follow them. They started to dash after the headmistresses, wondering what the hell could have possibly caused that spike of energy. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Cerise kicked off Sophia's chest to avoid plants cast by the enchantress of nature. Sophia stumbled backwards, tripping over a stray rock in the field before sprawling backwards. As soon as she hit the ground, Cerise snapped her fingers, and black tendrils snaked out from seemingly nowhere to tie Sophia to the ground. Sophia cried out in surprise and tried to shake the magic off her, but nothing she tried seemed to work. </p><p>Tanith was the only one left standing at this point, and River decided to approach her to finish the job. They summoned fiery magic to their hands before grabbing at Tanith's wrist before she could jump backwards. In an instant, she was burned where River had made contact with her skin. </p><p>Tanith yelped in surprise as the pain spread throughout the rest of her body. It felt as if she couldn't breathe, like the world was trying to crush her to death. Tanith suddenly couldn't find the energy to wrestle her hand away from River, and when they flung their arm off to the side, she went with it. When River finally released her, she fell to the ground, coughing and sputtering in an attempt to regain breath. A few droplets of crimson left her lips to stain the grass. </p><p>"What's going on here?!"</p><p>December froze from her place at the battlefield. She stared ahead as a quartet of figures appeared on the horizon. When they got closer, she saw the outline of the leader of the group. Lengthy hair swirled around a muscular figure, and December's grip on her sword grew tighter. </p><p>"Retreat," she suddenly said sternly. </p><p>"Retreat? Now?!" Eros yelped. "But we still haven't--"</p><p>"Retreat. Now," December repeated, her eyes filled with daggers as she looked to him. </p><p>The generals were hesitant, but they followed her directions, all gathering around Cerise. The youngest member of the group held her hand up to the sky, summoning magic from nowhere. It surrounded the quintet, and when the light faded, they were gone, as if they had never been there in the first place. </p><p>Altina and Minerva slid to a stop when they finally arrived on the scene. Anneliese and Nebula were hot on their tails, though the two of them were panting heavily, nowhere near as used to physical activity as the other two. </p><p>"What the hell happened here?!" Minerva exclaimed. The edges of her hair caught fire in a sudden display, and red creeped up the edges of her bob. </p><p>"Whoever did it is gone," Altina murmured, letting a small swear leave her lips. "Minerva, can you move us to Sacred Heart? We need to make sure that none of them are hurt too badly."</p><p>"On it," Minerva nodded. The fire in her hair calmed down, but it was clear she was still far from happy. She clapped her hands, and a ring of fire extended across the clearing. The flames danced higher to create a column, and when the red magic vanished, all the people that had been there seconds before were gone. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Minerva and Altina my loves</p><p>-Digital</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. V: Vague Familiarity</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The Second Camaraderie deals with the aftermath of their battle with the Alight Five while December vows to learn more about Altina.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The entire trip back to Sacred Heart was a blur for Luce. She had a pounding headache, and she wasn't sure of what was happening around her. Eventually, she felt something warm underneath her, and she grunted under her breath. Her eyes didn't want to open, but her head was racing with thoughts of what had just happened. </p><p>The Alight Five had showed up and kicked all their asses without a second thought. She didn't know how the hell they had pulled that off. As far as she could tell, it didn't even bother them in the slightest, and not all of them had transformed, so they weren't even at their maximum power. Only Cerise and River had bothered while the rest of them easily defeated the group without changing form. </p><p>Luce could hear somebody stirring above her, but she wasn't sure who it was until they started talking. "Zylphia is not going to be happy to hear about this," Minerva grumbled. She let out a heavy sigh and walked across the room. Her footsteps echoed around the area. Luce assumed she was in the infirmary based off the oddly pleasant smell and peaceful aura. </p><p>"Do you know what you're doing?" came another voice. This time, it belonged to Altina. "We can call Zylphia if you think you need her help."</p><p>"Have you met Zylphia? She'll lose her mind the second she sees what happened to her daughter," Minerva snorted. "It might be best for us to take care of the serious injuries on our own. Besides, we both know our way around medical supplies. We can handle it."</p><p>"Are they going to be okay?" another voice asked. Luce quickly recognized this one as belonging to Anneliese. She was sounding incredibly overwhelmed with worry, and a few moments later, she heard gentle footsteps echo throughout the room. They didn't come to an end, so Luce assumed that Anneliese had begun pacing as a way of getting out her stress from the situation. </p><p>"They'll be alright. None of them are in critical condition," Altina assured her. "It's nothing that we can't handle. A few of them just had rough falls, and if we patch up the bruises and scrapes, they'll be on the road to recovery in no time."</p><p>There was silence afterwards. Luce had no way of gauging where the two headmistresses were, but she hear Altina sigh softly a few seconds later. "This one looks like she has a concussion... That one isn't going to be quite so easy to take care of," she murmured. Since Altina mentioned a concussion, the first possibility that sprung to mind was Cessair since she had been hit by Arisu's sword roughly during the battle. </p><p>"I'm glad I know how to heal burn injuries," Minerva said not long afterwards. If Luce had to guess, she was referring to Sylvia. Her stomach had been badly hurt when River attacked her with the column of fiery magic. It had seemingly been so terrible that she was unable to move afterwards, and Luce felt her stomach twist in an unsettling combination of worry and pity. </p><p>Nobody said anything for a while after that. Luce could feel her shoulders and back burning from the rough friction against the ground. She had hit her head on the way down, and she assumed that was where this aggravating pounding headache had come from. Her stomach hurt from the fire blast Eros had sent out, and she hoped that Minerva came her direction shortly. Part of her wanted Zylphia to arrive just so that they could get this mess over with. After all, if Zylphia healed their injuries, they would be in and out in the blink of an eye. </p><p>The quiet seemed to drag on for ages, and when Luce finally managed to force her eyes open again, she could see that Sylvia, Iris, Helena, and Carys were mostly back to their regular selves. Iris still seemed a bit dizzy from Cerise's electrical hit, but dizzy was better than most of the alternatives. Luce was relieved Iris had a high tolerance to electric magic as a metal mage, because she didn't even want to imagine the damage it could have done if she couldn't take the heat. </p><p>Sophia appeared to be fine as well. She hadn't been injured much in the first place, and as soon as the Alight Five left, the bonds holding her in place had disappeared. In fact, she was feeling well enough to dash around the room and use healing magic where it was necessary. When Luce first caught sight of her, she was leaning over S.M. and pressing her hands against the other girl's injuries. </p><p>"Tanith, how are you feeling?" Nebula asked as Luce shut her eyes again. As it turned out, trying to look around with her pounding headache was a terrible idea, and she was not going to be making that mistake again. </p><p>"I feel like my lungs are on fire," came the weak sputtering of Tanith from nearby. "I know fire magic from Igni is powerful, but... I've never had it used against me in a way that makes me feel like my lungs are being crushed by a giant volcano."</p><p>"I'm just glad you're still conscious. If you weren't, Zylphia would probably kill me," Minerva remarked with a sigh. "Here. Drink this."</p><p>Luce heard the sound of a bottle's lid being unscrewed, and a few seconds later, Tanith let out a sigh of relief. "Thanks," Tanith whispered. She whimpered quietly, and Luce heard shifting from on her bed, so she came to the assumption that Tanith had rolled over. </p><p>"What are we going to do when Zylphia does eventually find out?" Altina asked. "She's going to figure out what happened today at some point. It's just a matter of when."</p><p>"We should tell her ourselves, but it would be best if we did it after Tanith stopped claiming it felt like her lungs were being crushed by a volcano," Minerva answered. "I think we can all agree on that fact."</p><p>"If Zylphia heard about this..." Tanith let out a small laugh, but it was cut off when she started to cough again. The coughing lasted for far longer than Luce was comfortable with, and it took all her energy to keep from calling the headmistress of Alitia to heal her. It would be overwhelming to deal with Zylphia's worry, but it would be better than letting Tanith keep feeling awful. </p><p>Luce heard the soft hum of healing magic, and Sophia's voice reached her ears a few seconds later. "Did that help you?" Sophia asked. </p><p>"Oh, it helped a lot," Tanith replied with a heavy sigh of relief. "Thank you, Sophia."</p><p>"You're welcome," the nature enchantress told her. </p><p>Sophia walked over to Luce and pressed her hands against the mercenary's torso. Warmth flooded her body, and Luce let out a small breath. She forgot how much healing magic could help out. It was amazing to feel the difference in Sophia's magic from the start of the school year compared to then as well, and she knew her friend was growing at a rapid pace. </p><p>"Thank you so much," Luce said. Her head slowly stopped pounding, and she managed to pry her eyes open. This time, the light was not enough to make her feel even worse, and her back was already starting to feel better. She slowly turned herself over when Sophia gestured for her to do so, and one healing spell later, the friction burns on her shoulders were gone. </p><p>"We've already made significant progress in patching all of you up," Minerva commented. "You'll be able to head back to Alitia in no time."</p><p>"I'm so glad to hear that none of you were seriously hurt," Anneliese said with a heavy sigh of relief. "We were all really worried when we stumbled upon you... Who even were those guys anyways?"</p><p>"The Alight Five," S.M. sighed. "They're the most powerful generals from my home planet. All of them are known for their raw strength, and they're terrifying to go up against. Most of the time, even one of them could take care of a significant chunk of enemy forces, and yet all five of them were sent to Millennia today..."</p><p>"I want to hear the full story," Altina cut in. "I don't know the full extent of what happened. When we got there, all five of these elite generals had disappeared. I doubt their objective was just to fight against you girls, so they must have failed in accomplishing whatever their mission involved."</p><p>"I wouldn't say that we know too much, but we can go on and tell you what we are aware of," Sophia offered. "Maybe it will help us to figure out where they disappeared to and why... They were about to win, but they still retreated."</p><p>"In that case, hold nothing back," Minerva instructed as she began to put away the medical supplies. She leaned up against the wall with her arms crossed and waited for the girls to start explaining. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>There was a light popping sound as the Alight Five finished the teleportation process to wind up back on Igni. They were inside the training center for the knights where they often sent out orders. In a way, it acted as their unofficial headquarters, though none of them ever called it such as a way of staying professional. </p><p>Eros let out a heavy, angry sigh as soon as they arrived there. "Why the hell didn't we finish them off?!" he yelled. "We were so close to being able to complete the mission and bring that girl back to the king, but you had us retreat?!"</p><p>"I figured it would be best for us to withdraw," December replied evenly. "I have a better idea of who we are up against now, and I wish to do more research before we commit ourselves to any other assaults."</p><p>"You only got nervous after we heard that voice off in the distance," Arisu remarked. "Do you know them or something?"</p><p>"Maybe so," River murmured. "Who do you think it is? Do we know them too?"</p><p>"If we knew them, you wouldn't need to ask that question," Eros snorted, rolling his eyes and frowning. "What could have gotten you shaken up about them anyways? We would have finished the mission before they arrived. No matter how fast they ran, it wouldn't have been enough to make sure we didn't capture the crown princess' killer. We had victory right in our fingers, but you still let it go. Why?"</p><p>"I figured it would be best for us to avoid being spotted by the people who were coming through the trees. That is all," December answered. "I have a lot of research to do about those who nearly saw us today. I wish to cover all our bases before we continue to attack and apprehend the girl as the king demands."</p><p>"He's not going to be happy that we failed in our mission," Arisu frowned. "I hope he doesn't have any punishment in store. He doesn't take kindly to things not going his way, and I really don't want to have to deal with his temper. Today is already going poorly enough since we had to retreat before we could finish the mission."</p><p>"I'll handle it. I'll talk to him to ensure none of you get in trouble. This was my choice, and I'll deal with the consequences," December assured them. "I'm sure we'll have the chance to finish things sooner or later anyways. You saw who we were up against."</p><p>"I can't believe those are the people who took down the Possession Master," Eros grumbled. "With how weak they were, you would expect them to be toddlers. Hell, Cerise is about their age, and she could kick all their asses."</p><p>"I know you're upset, but please keep the profanity to a minimum," Cerise told him with a small shake of her head. "I trust December's judgement. If she thought it was best to retreat, then I feel the same."</p><p>Eros let out yet another angry huff. "I don't understand you people. We could have been living on easy street with an epic victory, but instead, we're back here waiting for the king to get mad at us. This could have been it. This is quite possibly the biggest mission he has ever given us, and he's going to be disappointed. Hell, he's probably going to lose faith in us, and if he does that, it means he won't hesitate to kick us all to the curb should something else bad happen. Plus, I was really hoping to beat in at least one skull with my axe while we were out," he continued to rant. He started pacing around the room, and each stomping footstep echoed. </p><p>"I'll handle it," December repeated. She turned on her heel and walked for the door. Her footsteps were much softer than Eros', and they were drowned out easily by the sound of his frustrated stomping. </p><p>"Where are you going?" Cerise asked, taking a few steps to follow her commander. </p><p>"There's some research I need to do. Stay here. As soon as I'm finished, I'll be back to report my results. I'll explain what happened to the king when I return as well," December answered. "Please, try not to get into any trouble while I'm gone. Cerise, you have my full permission to tie Eros down with shadows if he refuses to behave, though I do hope it doesn't come to that. That wouldn't be good, right, Eros?"</p><p>Arisu suddenly burst into laughter, clutching at their stomach as they stumbled into the wall. They continued to cackle with glee as tears started to slide down their cheeks. Words didn't seem to come easily, but they still managed to force a sentence out. "Eros... Eros is being babysat by a teenager!" they shrieked, still laughing uncontrollably. </p><p>"I am not being babysat!" Eros thundered angrily. </p><p>"Maybe if you calmed down that attitude, you wouldn't need to be," River murmured. </p><p>"Please stop arguing," December cut in. "I believe I've made my intentions clear. Stay here until I return with further information."</p><p>Cerise nodded. "Understood. I'll do my best to keep everyone under control," she said. </p><p>"That's my girl," December smiled gently before opening the door and walking out, leaving behind the commanders' lobby and the bickering generals within. </p><p>In all honesty, she didn't know where she was going. However, she did know that voice that had stopped her sounded incredibly familiar, and she knew just where she had heard it from. However, she couldn't help but wonder how it was possible. Last she had heard, the owner of that voice was dead. </p><p>December continued to walk through the streets of Igni, her head hanging low as she thought over all that had happened. She didn't know where she was going to find these answers, but she was determined to track them down somehow. "Altina Latheia... I will find you," she whispered, her hands clenching into fists at her side. "That much is a promise."</p><p>~~~~~</p><p>To no one's surprise, Zylphia was not happy when she heard about what had happened. </p><p>Minerva and Altina were able to help her get all the girls back to Alitia, and while Zylphia managed to maintain a somewhat relaxed mask while the other two head teachers were around, it all fell apart the instant they left to go work on reconstruction again. This incident had put them seriously behind schedule, so they were unfortunately unable to linger for too long. </p><p>Everyone but Cessair was given the clear to leave the infirmary, but since Cessair was still unconscious from Arisu's blow to her head, she had to stay there for a while longer. The eight girls all found themselves in their shared dorm room after somehow finding the power to get Zylphia to give Tanith some space. </p><p>Luce flopped down onto the couch once they arrived, and the others did the same. The couch wasn't large enough for all eight of them regularly, but since they all seemed fine to squeeze on, nobody said anything, It wasn't long before Luce found Sophia on one side and Helena on the other. Tanith wound up laying stretched across all the other girls, though Carys wound up conjuring a small bean bag chair to sit on to avoid human contact. </p><p>"I can't help but wonder why they attacked us like that out of the blue," Sophia murmured, looking up at the ceiling for a brief moment before closing her eyes. </p><p>"Attacking us out of the blue? They did no such thing. You heard them before the fight started. They explained fully why they were here, even if their excuse was a load of malarkey if you ask me," Helena pointed out. </p><p>"I feel like it goes against some sort of law to use that force to apprehend a suspect on another planet without first notifying the government of such actions," Luce said in a bitter whisper. "Nobody was aware that S.M. was a suspect ahead of time, and I feel like the government of Millennia would have stepped in if it thought the Alight Five were acting on a solid basis."</p><p>"Maybe that's why they ran away when they did. They didn't want to face the consequences of their actions, so they turned and ran away like a bunch of little chickens," Carys snorted. </p><p>"They were beating us horribly at the time. I don't know why they didn't just finish the job. Instead, their leader called for retreat at the worst possible moment for them. It worked out in our favor, sure, but it makes you wonder what they're planning if they gave up such an opportunity to handle other business," S.M. told the rest of the group. </p><p>"I think it's time for us to do some research to figure out what it is they're after," Tanith suggested. "After all, if this suspect thing made news somewhere, there has to be some extra information to offer at least a hair of explanation, right?"</p><p>"I have to wonder that myself. I certainly wasn't aware of this. The king of Igni must have called for my arrest, but if that's the case, why didn't he tell anyone? Having his generals march into Millennia and attack students from the Millennium Six... That's twisted. He must be planning something, but I don't know what it is. Obviously, I didn't kill Octavia. I had no reason to. She was one of the few people in the royal family who didn't shun me for having leath blood. Why the hell would I want to kill someone who actually liked me as a person?" S.M. asked angrily. </p><p>"All of this is... It's just ridiculous," Iris sighed, rubbing at her eyes. "The sun is barely starting to set, and I'm already exhausted. Who knew that getting the stuffing beaten out of you could be so exhausting?"</p><p>"I feel awful for Cessair," Sylvia whispered. "This was one of her first times hanging out with us, and when we tried to do something fun to step outside the box, she wound up getting hurt really badly."</p><p>"This means that Professor Manness is going to be fired up to figure out what's going on. She can be just as protective and panicky as Zylphia, but she hides it a lot better. The Alight Five are going to be in trouble when she finally gets on their tails," Tanith said with a heavy frown. </p><p>"You know what I want to figure out? Why they ran off," Helena declared. "I mean, there has to be a reason they bolted at that specific moment. I remember hearing Headmistress Latheia's voice off in the distance, and the next thing I knew, their leader was rounding them all up and telling them to retreat."</p><p>"I don't know why they would be so scared of her. I mean, she's a terror in battle, but I would say that December is an even match for her, and that's not even factoring in the other four members of the group," S.M. frowned. "Maybe they would be scared of facing her and Headmistress Claudere, but we didn't even know that she was there at the time."</p><p>"It really doesn't make any sense," Carys huffed. "Is there any possible way for us to make it make sense? If there is, you can certainly sign me up."</p><p>"I can do all the research I can. I can't say for sure how successful it will be, but I'll do my best," Tanith said firmly. "If there's a reason for December to be so terrified of Headmistress Latheia, I'll find it. Maybe we can ask the headmistress herself for answers next time we see her. She's busy with the Acadia reconstruction effort at the moment, but there will be time after the school opens again for us to pay her a visit. I doubt she would mind seeing us after all the help we offered her during the Thanatos War last semester."</p><p>"Maybe they fought against each other in the War of Starlight or something," Luce suggested. "December certainly wasn't around when we were fighting against Iago a few weeks ago, so it can't be anything to do with that battle, so if it's something about being old enemies, it must be from the War of Starlight."</p><p>"If that's the case, she'll be hard to find information on. There were a lot of people who fought in the War of Starlight, and unless they played a significant role, there probably won't be any records on them. It's understandable that the government didn't document everything about the war given how many people were involved, but that's going to make this quest a lot more frustrating," Tanith frowned. </p><p>"For all of our sakes, I really hope that isn't the case. We don't need to deal with even more frustration on top of everything else that's been thrown our way," S.M. grumbled. </p><p>A knock came at the door a few seconds later. The girls all looked over to the entrance, curious as to who it could be. Since most of them were still tangled in a mess of limbs on the couch, none of them but Carys were able to get the door to let in their guest, whoever it could have been. Carys, however, didn't seem to have any plans of doing so. She cupped one hand around her mouth before speaking. "Come on in! It's open!"</p><p>The door was practically thrown open as Nebula and Anneliese appeared in the apartment. "Are you guys okay?!" Anneliese cried out, dashing over to where the girls were sprawled out on the couch. She crouched down next to Tanith, examining her carefully for injuries before looking to the next closest girl, who happened to be Iris. </p><p>"We're fine. You saw Headmistress Claudere and Headmistress Latheia help us out. After we got back here, we told Zylphia about everything that had happened. She's calm now, and she let us come back to our room," Tanith replied. Luce could tell that she was lying about Zylphia being 'calm' to keep Anneliese and Nebula from freaking out too much. After all, it was nearly impossible for Zylphia to reach a state of calm for a few days after something bad like this happened to her adopted daughter. </p><p>"I'm glad to hear that," Anneliese sighed. "You have no idea how worried we've been these past few hours since you left. Headmistress Claudere wanted us to go back to our room to relax, but we managed to sneak out to come and check on you. We'll have to go back soon to make sure that we arrive in time for curfew, but we couldn't stay away until we were sure that you were all okay."</p><p>"It's sweet of you to be so worried about us, but everything is fine. Promise," Iris assured her with a gentle smile. "We're already thinking about what we can do to prepare for the next time they show up."</p><p>"You think there's going to be a next time?" Nebula asked, worry seeping into her voice. </p><p>"We do, as a matter of fact," S.M. answered. "Those guys only came after us because they thought I was the culprit in some murder on my home planet. They are incredibly wrong in making such an assumption, but they retreated before they could apprehend me. That means that they're probably going to be back to complete the mission, and when they do return, we'll have to find a way to be ready for them."</p><p>"I don't know how we're going to do that, but we need to make sure that it doesn't get as bad as it did today. The battle we were dealing with before you showed up with the two headmistresses was a nightmare. We never would have gotten out of it if not for you guys appearing to scare them off," Carys told Anneliese. "That just means that we'll have to find out how to be strong enough to get rid of them ourselves in case nobody is around to bail us out of it next time they show up."</p><p>"What magic levels were they?" Nebula questioned, a small frown appearing on her face. Her worry and doubt was obvious, and Luce could tell that she was doubting if the enchantresses could handle it out of concern. There were a lot of things Nebula didn't say that Luce had learned to pick up on silently since meeting her. </p><p>"Only two of them transformed. The youngest member of their group was Illunae. The other one who transformed was at the Inlustris level. The other three decided to stay in their regular forms, but judging by how strong they were, I would say that they were at the Inlustris level just like their leader. The one mage who was at the Illunae level was also a Blend like Anneliese. She seemed to have power over shadow magic and electricity," Luce replied. </p><p>"You think that you can take out all of those guys? That's ridiculous! Taking out one Illunae blend is exhausting. I know that you freed me from possession last semester, but it took all of your combined power just to take care of me, and even so, you were able to end it thanks to the purifying power of Starlight. I don't think that's going to apply here," Anneliese said, suddenly thrown into a panicked rant as she began to pace the length of the room. "This is crazy. There has to be something else we can do to keep this from happening again."</p><p>"If there is something we can do, I don't know what it is," Helena sighed. "I don't think any of us know what it could possibly be. We gave our all in that fight, and we were shrugged off we were little more than flies. The only way we could stand up to them would be to reach the Inlustris level, but going through Illunae to Inlustris so quickly would certainly cause some magical backlash."</p><p>"It takes time for mages to work their way up the magical ladder. We earned Isolis over the course of about three months during last semester, and suddenly jumping to Illunae would have negative consequences. You're expected to stay at each magical level for at least a year before going up to the next level to make sure that your body isn't overwhelmed with the power you get when you go up," Nebula murmured. "You gradually get stronger until you can handle the new strength brought by the next stage, and going through them so quickly could cause your powers to go out of control, and that wouldn't help anyone."</p><p>"If you ask me, magic being out of control seemed to perfectly describe River during that fight," S.M. commented. She shook her head to dispel the thoughts. "All of that aside, we've got other things to figure out. Nebula and Helena are right. If we go up the levels too quickly, there will be consequences. It might help us to defeat the Alight Five, yes, but it would cause horrible damage to our magic, bodies, and minds. It would be best if we simply reached peak strength for an Isolis mage for the time being. We'll reach Illunae and then Inlustris when the time is right, but it seems clear as day that the time is not now for us to go up."</p><p>Nebula sighed and shook her head. "As much as I hate to say it, Anneliese and I should be going back to Sacred Heart. We don't want Headmistress Claudere to know that we snuck out, and if our roommates get back before us, they're going to know we got out," she said. </p><p>"If we get any new information about how we're going to take out the Alight Five, we'll be sure to tell you. I don't know if we'll be able to meet up for a while given how protective Headmistress Satim is bound to be over the next few days. She always gets like that right after we get into a big fight like this," Luce told her. "Until then, try to enjoy yourselves, yeah? Don't worry about us too much."</p><p>"We'll try at least," Anneliese offered with a nervous chuckle. She waved as she walked out into the hallway, Nebula trailing after her. On the other side of the door, the soft pop of dimensional magic could be heard, and the hallway was silent soon afterwards. </p><p>Nobody said anything for a while after the two girls left. All eight enchantresses were thinking about what steps they could possibly take next, though none of them were coming to any conclusions that would help them. It was frustrating, but there wasn't anything they could do about it. </p><p>They had been so sure that this semester would pass in peace, and yet, the universe seemed intent on not letting them relax. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Iago just died, and they're already suffering? It's more likely than you think. </p><p>-Digital</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. VI: Mission by Moonlight</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Caius receives an important task from unexpected visitors.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Over the course of the next few days, the girls didn't leave Alitia at all. They weren't being forced to stay at the school, but they didn't want to leave in case they were attacked by the Alight Five again.</p><p>A week had passed since the initial attack, and it was the first day of actual classes. Luce was surprisingly eager to get back into the swing of things. Maybe it was because she had missed the mundane routine of going to classes and doing her homework when the battle with Iago began. She couldn't quite put a finger on it, but it didn't matter much to her either. All that she really needed to focus on was getting back into the routine that had been so brutally broken when Iago began to invade the Millennium Six.</p><p>Luce's schedule wound up being the same as the previous semester's, so she shuffled into Adrianna's classroom first thing in the morning. She had always been an early riser, so it wasn't the waking up sooner than usual that made her feel nervous. If anything, it had to do with Cessair.</p><p>Luce hadn't been given a chance to speak with Cessair much since the attack with the Alight Five. Severine was being incredibly protective, almost to the degree of Zylphia. Luce had been hoping to swing by to speak with Cessair briefly about the attack to ask if she knew anything about the current Alight Five. Maybe that would be able to help them get somewhere.</p><p>However, since Cessair had spent so much time in the infirmary recovering from their last fight, Luce hadn't been able to ask her about such. Unfortunately, Tanith hadn't been able to find out much either, though she was hoping to make greater strides in her research soon. Until then, Luce was praying that Cessair had heard at least something before the attack took place.</p><p>Luce took her seat in Adrianna's classroom and stared up at the front of the room. Adrianna herself hadn't arrived yet, giving Luce some extra time to think. Most of her companions were talking about the new school year arriving, but Luce was desperate to try and figure out more about what had happened with the Alight Five. After all, if they couldn't learn more, how could they be expected to defend against an inevitable secondary attack?</p><p>All that they really knew was that this group was mysterious to those even on Igni. Luce was going to be going over the facts with Tanith again when they reached their research class headed by Alistair. They weren't sure what he was going to have them do now that most students in their class had figured out the origin behind their magic, but Luce was hoping that he would be able to answer at least a few of their questions about the Alight Five. If there was something mysterious that needed to be discovered, chances were Alistair could point them in the right direction.</p><p>Until then, Luce would have to get through the rest of her classes. The door shut softly as Adrianna walked inside to stand at the front of the room. Luce let out a small sigh and shut her eyes. Her nerves were starting to get to her, and she found herself feeling more paranoid than she had in a long time. Maybe she was wrong to get so comfortable after defeating Iago, because now, her body felt like it was going to burst from the emotional pressure of dealing with the Alight Five.</p><p>Today was bound to be a long day.</p><p>~~~~~</p><p>A knock came at the door to the head office of Ridgeview, and Caius looked up with a small frown on his face. "Enter," he said firmly, curious as to who it could be. He had not been aware of there being any meetings today, and none had told him that they needed to speak with him. Unless a student was misbehaving, a rarity at Ridgeview, he had company of some sort.</p><p>The door swung open to reveal a pair of figures that Caius knew all too well. His eyes widened, and he got to his feet, sliding his chair back from his desk. "Your Majesty..." he murmured, his eyes wide in surprise.</p><p>The door shut with a gentle tap, leaving Caius alone with the two newcomers. He knew of them both, though he had never spoken to them personally. Shiho and Zaeran Liu were the queen and king of his home planet, N-Yx. He hadn't expected them of all people to appear for an audience, to say the least.</p><p>They both had black hair, something expected of people who were born on N-Yx. A bright blue streak ran through Zaeran's hair, and they shared their blue eyes. They wore clothing of blue and purple colors made of fabric so exquisite that Caius never expected to even lay eyes on it. By comparison, he felt a bit underdressed in his regular suit and tie.</p><p>Caius' family had moved there shortly before his birth, so he looked far from like the regular person of N-Yx origin, and the difference between him and the two royals before him was large. However, neither Shiho nor Zaeran seemed eager to comment on this. Instead, they walked towards the desk, standing roughly a foot away from it.</p><p>"What brings you to my school?" Caius asked of them, a small frown on his face. Shiho and Zaeran did not have any children attending Ridgeview, so why were they there? Their daughter was a senior at Sacred Heart that year while their son attended Angelwood. Their final child was a student at Sierra. All three of their children, as well as Shiho and Zaeran themselves, were mages. Why would they bother coming to Millennia if they were going to visit Caius, a leath who had nothing to do with their children?</p><p>"We have a request of you," Zaeran answered, his voice even and solemn. He had skipped the introductory phase of their conversation, and Caius figured it was because none of them really needed an introduction in the first place.</p><p>"What would that be?" Caius questioned. He examined them carefully, wondering why they had bothered to come to him of all people for their important request.</p><p>"How much do you know about the past of N-Yx?" Shiho questioned, her voice soft.</p><p>"Specifically, how much are you aware of that has taken place in the past fifteen years?" Zaeran inquired.</p><p>"I know quite a bit," Caius replied. Even after leaving behind N-Yx to become the head teacher of Ridgeview, he had kept up to date with the news of his home. He wanted to be as informed as possible in case someone from his family called to discuss what was happening on N-Yx. While he was no expert on current events, he knew enough to hold up a decent conversation about the planet.</p><p>Shiho snapped her fingers, and a shadow swirled around her feet before placing a picture in her hands. She set down the page before Caius, sliding it along the desk for him to see. Caius looked at her for a moment, as if asking her with his eyes if he could look. Shiho didn't change her expression or posture, instead staring down at the page solemnly. Caius watched her for a moment longer before reaching out one hand to pick up the photo and examine it for himself. He did his best to remain cautious, knowing his every action was being scrutinized beyond imagination.</p><p>Caius looked down at the picture with a small frown. It was of a small girl who appeared to be about three years of age. Her hair was black, and her eyes were a crisp blue color. Judging by her ornate clothing, she was clearly someone important on N-Yx, though Caius wasn't entirely sure as to who it was, as he hadn't ever seen anyone who looked like this before.</p><p>"How much do you know about Meili Liu?" Shiho questioned with a small, detached frown.</p><p>That name rang a bell, and Caius let out a small gasp. Meili Liu had been the youngest princess of N-Yx, but she disappeared roughly thirteen and a half years prior. None were sure what had happened to her, but her disappearance caused many issues. Meili had been born with incredible power, and her magic heavily related to the traditional power of the moon celebrated on N-Yx.</p><p>"She went missing many years ago. None are sure what happened to her. Why do you ask?" Caius asked. Meili had been Shiho and Zaeran's daughter. They knew more about her than anyone else on all of N-Yx, so why were they asking him about it? Caius knew little more about Meili aside from her name and that a great stir had been caused when she went missing. He had asked his family back home about her, but they were just as clueless as he was, much to his dismay.</p><p>"We have reason to believe that she is still alive," Zaeran replied.</p><p>This caught Caius off guard. He was no stranger to people faking their own deaths. He had learned and seen a lot in his time as the head teacher of Ridgeview, and he had viewed many a political scandal from afar. However, this was surprising to him, perhaps solely because of how young Meili had been when she disappeared. She was less than three years of age, and she had no abilities that would allow her to survive on her own. Nobody that young could survive without assistance.</p><p>"What makes you say this?" Caius asked, a small frown appearing on his face. He was sure that there was a reason Zaeran and Shiho had come to this conclusion, but he couldn't help but doubt their judgement a little bit. It was terrible that they had lost their youngest child, but perhaps they were grasping onto false hope that she yet lived. How could she have possibly survived for so long without the help of her family?</p><p>"The Temple of Moonlight activated a week ago," Shiho replied, a small yet sad smile on her face. "She possesses moon magic. If she really is alive, then the temple is telling us that. Her magic can be detected now that she is older, and the Temple of Moonlight can sense it. We have no clues as to where she is, but if the temple sparked to life again, it must mean something."</p><p>N-Yx had been created by an ancient mage with the power of a Moonlight Blessing. The original god had granted them power, and the planet was carved from this incredible magic. All worlds were created from some form of Starlight or Moonlight, but N-Yx had a particularly strong connection with the power of Moonlight. A temple had been constructed near the palace to honor the god that had given the world power in the first place.</p><p>Many years had passed since their Moonlight Blessing lost its power. The royal family of N-Yx had lost the ability to use the Moonlight Blessing they had genetically nearly five hundred years ago, and yet, the magic remained thanks to N-Yx's heavy connection to the power of Moonlight. Not all members of the royal family had moon magic, but those who did were automatically connected to the Temple of Moonlight, and when their power awoke, so did the temple itself.</p><p>It was hard to say for sure if the temple was a living creature or not, but it sure did behave like one at times. It seemed to breathe when the proper mages were inside of it, though to most, it simply looked like a regular building. Caius had been there once many years ago, but he had never seen it in an active state. He imagined it was quite a sight, and it had to be unmistakable. If what Shiho and Zaeran were claiming was true, this had to mean that Meili yet lived.</p><p>"Why are you telling me about this?" Caius questioned, looking carefully over Shiho and Zaeran. "I'm a commoner from N-Yx who holds no real power. I don't think I am able to help you in the slightest if you truly wish to find out where Meili is located at present."</p><p>"You are a leath with an incredible manifestation. Your speed is unparalleled, and your skills in battle have spawned many legends. If anyone is an expert in gathering information of this nature, it is you. Perhaps you would be our best bet in locating Meili. Your speed and battle prowess will aid us greatly. We wished to ask if you would do all that you can to research where Meili is currently located," Shiho replied.</p><p>Caius felt his jaw drop before he knew what he was doing. His eyes went wide. He had never even spoken to Shiho or Zaeran before now, but his reputation had preceded him. The rumors of his deeds had gained him their trust without any effort. He had no idea how he was meant to respond to this. He had to say yes given how important they were, but at the same time, he had a duty to Ridgeview. He couldn't simply drop everything to look for Meili.</p><p>"We understand that you have other duties as the head teacher of Ridgeview. We will not pressure you to take on this job, but given your influence and ability to gather information... We figure you will be our best bet to locating our daughter," Zaeran continued.</p><p>Caius felt his hand clench into a fist. His speed and stealth had done a great deal for him during the War of Starlight, allowing him to gather more information than any other spy during the fighting. As unsure as he was, they had a point when they stated that he was their strongest chance of finding Meili.</p><p>His planet was counting on him, and if Meili truly was alive, he could not leave her behind. It was simply out of character for him, and he refused to let an innocent person suffer if he could save them. It seemed the choice had been made for him by his morals before the rest of him had a chance to object.</p><p>"I accept," Caius replied, nodding to Shiho and Zaeran firmly.</p><p>"We'll be contacting you again shortly as soon as we have more information for you," Shiho told him, a thankful smile appearing on her face. "Until we meet again, Headmaster Minato."</p><p>Shiho and Zaeran left the room soon after. Caius waited until after the door had shut with a gentle click before sitting down again. He didn't have the slightest idea how he was going to pull this off, but he was going to give it his all. For the sake of Shiho, Zaeran, Meili herself, and N-Yx as a whole, he had to find a solution.</p><p>This semester was already turning out to be more interesting than he had expected, but he wasn't sure how he was going to handle it.</p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Luce and Tanith slid into their seats in the library during their research class. Alistair had told them as they were walking in that everyone needed some extra time to get ready for the rest of the semester. Since people needed that time to decompress, the period was going to be dedicated to whatever each student needed to accomplish. That worked out perfectly for Luce and Tanith, as they could use this time to do whatever they wanted to in order to find out more about the Alight Five.</p><p>Tanith pulled out her phone and began to tap away at the screen. "Alright, so I'm not entirely sure where we're going to start here, but I suppose we can try to search the web," Tanith said.</p><p>"You know, humans have messed up a lot," Luce commented. That was probably putting it lightly. Humans had caused the creation of their dimension in the first place since they refused to live in peace with everyone else. "But at least they made this thing right. When they do something well, we take it. That's what we deserve after all they've done."</p><p>Tanith let out a small laugh. "Nobody's objecting to that. Now, let's see... Which one should I look into first?" she asked.</p><p>Luce frowned and considered it for a moment. "I guess we should start with the leader of the group. She's clearly going to cause the most issues for us, so let's start there," Luce replied.</p><p>Luce watched intently as Tanith tapped away at her phone screen rapidly. The two waited in silence for results to appear. Tanith clicked on the first link to appear and began to read. "'December Yaenu... She appeared on Igni about twenty-eight years ago. None are sure as to what happened in the past because she has never mentioned it to anyone. She became a general at the impressive age of twenty, making her one of the youngest generals in the Alight Five. She has ice magic that she uses alongside a sword. She is highly skilled in the blade and prefers to use it to her basic magic,'" Tanith read. "Hm... That's not exactly helpful, is it?"</p><p>"No, not really... It's a lot of stuff that we already know. Has she ever been defeated in battle?" Luce asked, looking over Tanith's shoulder.</p><p>"She's never lost a battle since becoming a general. Her skill with a sword seems to rival that of leaths with manifestations relating to using a sword. Nobody has ever come close to defeating her," Tanith continued. "Ugh... If nobody has ever beaten her, then what chance do we have? She's in her forties, and we're first-year students. Unless we can get incredibly lucky and get a lot of extra help on our side, we aren't going to be winning any battles against her."</p><p>"That makes this infinitely harder," Luce sighed. "She's the leader, so if we can get her to retreat, everybody will follow. However, if it's nearly impossible to make her retreat... Yeah, this is not going to be fun."</p><p>"She apparently adopted Cerise Yaenu about twelve years ago, though the exact date is unknown. We are sure that she took in her adopted daughter and began to train her in how to fight. After all, they are both part of the Alight Five at the moment, so they've been working hard together," Tanith went on. "Cerise is a Blend with the magic of electricity and shadows. That's an unorthodox combination for sure. Most of the time, Blends have one magic that's more passive and one that's active."</p><p>"I think I know what you're talking about," Luce nodded. "Anneliese has blade magic and dimensional magic. Blade magic is more offensive while dimensional is neutral as far as its effectiveness in combat."</p><p>"Exactly. Another famous Blend from history would be the demigoddess Selene. She created Aerania a long time ago. She had wind magic and mind magic. Wind magic is offensive while mind magic is more passive," Tanith explained. "Since Cerise has two types of purely offensive magic, then we're going to struggle to take her out. If she's been trained by an undefeated general, then she's going to be more of a threat than Anneliese was when she was possessed by Iago last semester."</p><p>"In other words, all of these guys are out of our league and are going to be harder to deal with individually than any army that we've encountered up to this point," Luce groaned. "The Shadows from last semester were frustrating enough, and they weren't even enough to prepare us for this..."</p><p>"I think now would be the perfect time to ask Professor Ogun what he thinks of all this. He's probably our best bet for finding weaknesses of the Alight Five, and we're going to need to figure out what will defeat them if we want to succeed in staying out of their clutches. How about you ask him while I stay here and continue looking around?" Tanith suggested.</p><p>Luce nodded and pushed her chair away from the table they were sharing. "Alright. I'll be back," she said. She pushed her chair back in towards the table once she was standing fully, and she headed over to the desk at the center of the library where Alistair was located.</p><p>Alistair was completely spaced out as far as she could tell. He was humming a tune under his breath as he wrote on the paper in front of him. He didn't seem to notice Luce, so she looked back and forth between Alistair and the paper he was writing on. She held up one hand to her mouth and cleared her throat.</p><p>Alistair finally seemed to notice, and he looked up to see Luce. A grand smile broke out on his face. "Good morning, Luce," he said kindly. He set down his pen and rested his arms against the desk. "What brings you here? Do you have any questions for me?"</p><p>"I do, as a matter of fact," Luce replied. She looked around for a chair, thinking she might want to sit before the inevitably lengthy conversation that was about to begin, but she didn't see anything, so she remained standing. "What do you know about the Alight Five?"</p><p>"They're generals from Igni known for following only the orders of the monarch. They have some loyalty to other members of the royal family, but for the most part, the one who sits on the throne holds all the power regarding what they do," Alistair replied. "I believe I know why you're so interested... Headmistress Satim told me everything about what happened a week ago. You were attacked by the current members of the Alight Five, am I correct?"</p><p>"You heard right," Luce nodded. "We have no ways of matching up to their power levels. They're simply too strong for us, but we have to try and fight back should they return. We can't let them take one of our friends and lead her to her death for something she didn't do. I would never be able to forgive myself if I just stood back and let that happen."</p><p>"I understand... Well, I wouldn't say I know a particular amount about this current generation, but I will tell you all that I do know," Alistair said. "The leader is December Yaenu. Much of her past is unknown from before she became a general. At the time, she was the youngest to ever become a member of the Alight Five, and she came to lead it a few short years later."</p><p>"I see... She's been in a place of power for quite some time then," Luce murmured. "Is there anything else you know about her? Anything that you know will be helpful."</p><p>"She uses a sword infused with ice magic in battle, but there's a twist. Unlike most mages, she's more comfortable using a physical weapon than her magic, so she uses her sword when fighting, but she never uses her ice magic when her sword is out of her grasp," Alistair replied.</p><p>"That's rather strange... I don't know all that much about fighting with magical weapons since I tend to do one or the other, but... That seems rather strange. If you can use your magic without your weapon, you might as well go for it. After all, you need a weapon with you in order to fight with it, but with magic, it doesn't matter what you're holding. All you need to do is go for it," Luce remarked. </p><p>"I agree, but the point here is that she uses her magic in a strange way. It's something to keep in mind for when you clash against her once more. However, even if you get her sword away from her, I suggest being careful. After all, since she uses physical weapons more, her physical strength cannot be underestimated, and she could defeat someone even with her bare hands," Alistair warned. </p><p>"Great. So, it doesn't matter what we do... She's going to be a chore to take care of no matter what," Luce murmured, shaking her head. "Oh, well. We'll figure something out. What do you know about the other members of the Alight Five?" </p><p>"Cerise Yaenu is December's adopted daughter. Nobody is quite sure where Cerise came from. She was trained by December for many years despite their radically different magic. Cerise became the youngest member of the Alight Five in history after becoming a general last year at the age of sixteen. She was no doubt able to reach this position because of December's tutoring," Alistair replied. "She's a Blend as well, though I'm sure you were already aware of this."</p><p>"Yeah... I did hear about that part. I saw it in action too. Her control over her magic is rather impressive, I have to say. Two offensive types of magic in one mage... Tanith says that's rather rare. I take it that you'll back her up on that," Luce remarked with a small frown. </p><p>"She is correct. Most of what is known about Cerise is still vague and lacking in detail. I don't think that she's ever said anything about her past when asked. The Alight Five are important figures in Igni's society, so there are many who interview them to learn more about how the higher areas of Igni's oligarchy work. However, Cerise never answers any questions about herself, instead choosing to divert the subject. She has been an enigma from the start," Alistair said. </p><p>"Great," Luce sighed, shaking her head. "What about the others? Do you know anything about them? I doubt that all of them are quite as mysterious as December and Cerise, so there has to be something for us to learn about the other three."</p><p>"Hm... First off is Arisu. Arisu is a mage who came from mysterious origins, though unlike December and Cerise, they originate from Igni. It's clear from the appearances of the other two that they were not born on Igni despite their positions as generals, but Arisu is a native to the planet. As for their magic... Nobody knows. They're similar to December in that they have a heavy bias for physical weapons, but they don't use their magic at all where December channels it through her sword. It's not going to be easy to take them down solely because nobody knows what magical power they have outside of the other members of the Alight Five," Alistair explained. </p><p>"Another mysterious person... Just perfect," Luce whispered. </p><p>"Next, there's River. Their father was a member of the Alight Five before he retired. He helped River rise through the ranks of the Igni army by training them intensely. Despite their magic being at the Inlustris level, they lack the power to control it, and their body was destroyed by the training they have undergone to try and take control of their powers. There is quite a bit of magic known about them, but it all points to how unstable and uncontrollable River is," Alistair went on. </p><p>"I see... I could tell during the fight that there was something off about their magic, but I didn't realize that's what it was. I guess the lack of control... It's a lot more drastic than we ever could have imagined. It was clear that they couldn't fully manipulate their magic, but... That's something else entirely," Luce remarked. </p><p>"River is certainly not one to be trifled with," Alistair agreed. "Finally, there's Eros. He uses an axe powered with fire magic similar to the ice sword that December uses. Much like December, he can only use his magic when he has his weapon. It comes down to the way that he was trained, it seems. He's ruthless on the battlefield and is known for his cruelty towards others. It is said that only other members of the Alight Five can keep him under control."</p><p>"He seemed to be almost... I don't know... Feral when we fought him," Luce commented. "I know that's probably not the best way to describe him, but... I think you get the picture. He didn't seem to be able to control his own rage, and when he was provoked, all he could do was lash out. He couldn't keep himself from attacking when he was upset."</p><p>"That sounds accurate," Alistair nodded with a frown. "I hope that all of this information will help you out in the long run. If you have any other questions, I will do what I can to answer them, but... I am afraid that I have just told you all that I know about the Alight Five, but I can try and do more research for the future. I get the feeling that you will want that help in the future."</p><p>"You're right there," Luce said with a small smile on her face. It was clear the grin was faked, but Alistair didn't call her on it. "Thank you for all of this, Professor Ogun. If anything else comes up, I'll be sure to approach you with my questions. I'll see you again soon." She was about to walk away, having turned around and taken a step, when she paused and faced him once more. "By the way, Lianna says hi."</p><p>Afterwards, Luce walked back to the empty chair next to where Tanith was sitting. She practically collapsed into it, a dramatic yet quiet sigh leaving her lips. "This is not going well," she said, answering the question on Tanith's mind before the air mage even had the chance to ask it. </p><p>"You can say that again," Tanith murmured with a shake of her head. "I can't find anything. No matter what I look up, I never get anything worthwhile back when the search results return. I don't know how we're going to pull this off."</p><p>"Well, you aren't the only one," Luce said, shutting her eyes. This semester was not going in her favor, and it hadn't even been a day. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>My legs hurt big time but hey updates are neat right</p><p>-Digital</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. VII: Wings of the Divine</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The Second Camaraderie goes to class for the first day of the new semester.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Luce walked up to the table she was sharing with her friends for lunch that day, sliding into her seat in between Sylvia and Helena. "So, how have you guys been doing today?" she asked. </p><p>"The new schedule is already working better for me than last semester, but I guess I didn't actually try all that hard last time we were here, so I suppose that's normal," Sylvia shrugged. She picked up a circular roll and took a mighty bite of it before letting out a sigh. "I suppose this is natural if you were under a curse before, right?"</p><p>"The schedules are changing?" Luce asked, picking up her apple and taking a bite. "I thought that everything was the same as last semester. My schedule didn't change at all."</p><p>"Yours might not have shifted, but there are certainly some other schedules that have changed," Helena replied. "For example, Carys and I aren't in your magical research class anymore. Tanith is there though."</p><p>Luce took a moment to think about what Helena was saying before it hit her. She let out a small sigh as her head slipped into her other hand. She shook her head as she spoke. "I didn't even realize... Tanith was in my study hall period last semester, but since that's in the library like the magical research class... I guess I got everything mixed up," she murmured. Luce raised her head slowly. "I haven't really been thinking all that hard today, I suppose. It's weird to come back here again."</p><p>Carys snorted and shook her head. "You seriously forgot that Helena and I weren't in your class anymore? You really are off your game," she commented. </p><p>Luce nodded. "There aren't any objections here," she mumbled. She took another bite of her apple, frowning to herself. She knew exactly why she was feeling so off, and Iago was the one to blame for disrupting her schedule so spectacularly that it messed with her fundamentally. However, even if she knew the root of the issue, that didn't help her to feel any better about it. If anything, it just gave her a place to direct her anger when she felt worse about what had happened. It was going to take a while for her to get back on her routine, and that only left her more aggravated. </p><p>"How are the rest of your days going?" Sophia questioned, changing the subject seamlessly. "I know that I've been having a good enough time, but I know that all of this coming back at once can be overwhelming."</p><p>"I'm glad to finally be back in a recognizable routine," S.M. answered. "I mean, I know that we aren't able to do whatever we want when we want anymore, but it's better than having too much free time and thinking. Being left alone with our thoughts is a recipe for disaster. I can't be the only one who feels this way."</p><p>"You aren't," Sylvia replied quickly. "I don't want to think about what happened any more than I have to."</p><p>"We shouldn't have to think about it either. We should all try and distract ourselves while moving forward," Iris suggested. "We can't get overly rooted in the past, but at the same time, we can't become obsessed with the future either. We need to find a peaceful balance, and I believe that we can only accomplish such if we work together. This is the least we can do for ourselves and each other."</p><p>"There's a bit of a problem with that though," Tanith murmured. "If we think about the past, we'll just wind up being reminded that Iago exists, and that isn't going to help us in the slightest. If we try to look to the future, we'll be reminded of what we did to get away from the Alight Five."</p><p>"I'm surprised that they haven't come back since last time," S.M. admitted. "I know the king of Igni all too well, and he isn't the type to give up when he thinks that he's in the right. I mean, it's kept mages on top of leaths for generations. He might not have ruled for that long, but everyone in our family is infamous for being stubborn, and that's not exactly a good thing in this case."</p><p>"There has to be a reason that they haven't come back. They can defeat us without batting an eyelash, but they're still holding back. I don't know what the logic could possibly be in this situation, but we'll have to keep it in mind," Sophia said. </p><p>"Has anybody found out more about them?" Iris questioned. "I mean, if we're going to talk about them, we might as well discuss any new information that we might have found."</p><p>"I asked Professor Ogun about them when I was in magical research last period. He didn't know much of anything that we didn't already know. He said that December rose to power at an incredibly young age, and she's been leading the Alight Five for the past twenty years. She was the youngest general to ever reach that rank until her adopted daughter came along," Luce answered. "Of course, that doesn't help us out at all."</p><p>"Cerise is a Blend, and she's got two types of offensive magic on top of that. Taking down any members of the Alight Five is going to be nearly impossible at our current skill level. The only way I can imagine that we could see victory would be if we stuck to the hips of the head teachers," Tanith frowned. "However, that isn't exactly practical, and they won't be able to drop everything just to look out for us."</p><p>"They're the only warriors who might stand a chance against the Alight Five, but they also have other responsibilities as the head teachers of the Millennium Six. The Starlight Camaraderie is strong, yes, but they have other things to focus on now that we're in times of peace," Sophia murmured. "That could be a problem..."</p><p>"When Headmistress Claudere and Headmistress Latheia appeared with Nebula and Anneliese, the enemy sure did retreat quickly," Iris commented. "Maybe they're scared of what the Starlight Camaraderie is capable of."</p><p>"That would make sense. Even all the way out on Igni, they've surely heard of the warriors who ended the War of Starlight. The Alight Five might be strong, but they can't exactly stand up to people like that," Sylvia said. </p><p>"I don't know if they're scared or not, but I think that it matters little when it comes to fighting them on our own. We'll have to devise a strategy to ensure that we see victory, and even then, nothing is confirmed," Helena pointed out. "If we can figure out a game plan, we can do our best to win, but there's no guarantee that anything we try will work. After all, if they've reached those positions, they surely aren't just strong in battle. They have to be bright mentally as well."</p><p>"At this point, I'm only seeing one clear path out," Carys sighed. "If we can't defeat them in battle, we'll have to make sure that they don't want to fight us."</p><p>"What are you talking about?" S.M. echoed, a small frown on her face. </p><p>"We find out who really killed the heir of Igni's throne. If we can find out who did it, then they'll have no other reasons to go after us. We can get them off your back while simultaneously drawing out the real culprit," Carys replied. "This is the only way to get rid of them while all keeping our heads."</p><p>"How are we supposed to figure out who actually did this?" Iris asked, her eyes wide in surprise. "We can't exactly go back to Igni to look around. We'll be caught for sure. They know what we look like, and I doubt that we can just wander around if we're known for being around a fugitive."</p><p>"The answer is rather simple," Carys grinned. "Nebula can create illusions, so she can hide our appearances behind a spell. We can go there without any issues and look around while we're disguised as peasants from the planet. From there, we'll do all the investigating we need to, and then we can report anything we find to the Alight Five. That should get them off our backs."</p><p>"That's actually a good plan," S.M. murmured. "We'll have to talk to Nebula and Anneliese about it, but I think that might just work."</p><p>"we can't drop everything to do that now though, so let's focus on getting through the week before we think about crazy plans," Sophia suggested. "Besides, our next classes start in a few minutes, and I don't want us to be late."</p><p>Luce nodded, smirking to herself as she finished off the last of her apple. "I think that we finally have a game plan. All we need to do is get Nebula to agree, and from there, this should be easy. The Alight Five won't know what they're dealing with until it's too late."</p><p>~~~~~</p><p>In a small bookstore in Millennium City, Duncan Crawford placed a book onto a shelf. </p><p>He had a stack balanced on one arm as he hummed a small tune. He took books off the top of the stack before sliding them into place, his eyes shut gently as he walked around the store. He had a relaxing aura about him, and the world appeared to be at peace around him. </p><p>Duncan's dark skin was lightly scarred, but despite the traces of injuries, he appeared to be glowing in the gentle lighting of his shop. His hair was dark as well, reaching his shoulders delicately. He wore mostly black between his dark trousers and jacket, but his white shirt broke through the trend of darkness. His eyes were brown, and they looked over every inch of the bookshop as he finished placing the last book on a nearby shelf. A small sigh left his lips, and he smiled. It was a simple life he led, and he couldn't have been happier with it. </p><p>Duncan walked over to the front of the store, sliding himself onto his chair behind the main desk. There were no customers in the building, so it was the perfect chance for him to read for himself. He picked up the worn tome sitting next to the scanner and opened it slowly. He set his bookmark down next to the scanner where the book had been a short few seconds ago before he got to reading. </p><p>The bell above the door rang, and Duncan looked up to see someone walking inside. He picked up his bookmark, a bit disappointed that he had barely gotten through a sentence before being interrupted. He slid the marker back into the place it had been a few seconds ago before smiling and rising to his feet. "Welcome," Duncan said, walking up to his new customer. "What brings you here?"</p><p>The new arrival was one that Duncan found halfway familiar. It was a man about his age with purple hair tied into a ponytail low to his neck. His hair had some hints of blue in it as well, and his eyes were an amethyst color. He wore ornate clothing consisting of fabric in blue, purple, turquoise, and gold colors. He carried himself proudly, but there was still enough vulnerability in his stance to show that he wasn't terrifying in the slightest. </p><p>Duncan had seen this new customer a few times in the past two or three months. Duncan didn't have the slightest idea what his name was, but he seemed to enjoy coming to the bookstore. He had a peculiar interest in myths and legends of other planets, and he liked looking into religion as well. </p><p>"Good morning," the man smiled, and Duncan wondered briefly if he could light a planet shrouded in darkness with that grin. </p><p>"Good morning to you as well," Duncan said, clasping his hands together as he approached the new customer. "Is there anything you need help with? Are you searching for something in particular?"</p><p>"I would like to know... Do you have any books on the Goddess' Cradle?" the man questioned. </p><p>Duncan pondered for a moment before gliding over to the legends section of his store. The Goddess' Cradle was the name that had been given to the crystal the air demigoddess Selene had been stored in. She was cast inside after a rebellion on the planet of Aerania, and many had tried to learn more about her over the years, but all had failed. </p><p>The Goddess' Cradle was stolen roughly four years prior when one Cordelia Willis snuck into the royal palace to take it. Many had tried to find her since then, but all attempts to do so had failed. Still, historians were incredibly curious, and research continued even then to try and track down the mysterious thief who had taken the resting place of a god. </p><p>"Here you are," Duncan replied, sliding the book off the shelf before giving it to the customer. "Is that all you will be needing today?"</p><p>The man pondered for a moment before starting to look around. "I think I'll explore for a while longer, if that's alright," he replied. </p><p>Duncan nodded. "Of course. If you need anything else, feel free to ask. I'll be at my desk if you have any questions," he said. </p><p>The man nodded, and Duncan walked over to his desk once again. He sat down and reached for his book, removing the bookmark and starting to scan the pages. </p><p>His mind soon wandered again to the mysterious man exploring his store. He wanted to leave the newcomer in peace, but he couldn't help but wonder who this newcomer was. He had visited the store a few times, so Duncan would have expected to know his name like he did with his other regulars, but the truth behind this customer's name eluded him. </p><p>Duncan closed his eyes, concentrating on the man. He used his magic to navigate through his mind. His target was none the wiser, picking up a book about the history of the Church of Starlight. Duncan tried to make sense of the newcomer's identity, finding out some useful information along the way. </p><p>He was a leath with a manifestation that allowed him to memorize things quickly. He was known for his strategic mind as well. He was far from being a fighter, though that was clear as day given how thin and lanky he was. Duncan frowned, trying to find a name and dig deeper. </p><p>Duncan was interrupted when some books were dropped onto his desk, and he looked up to see that the man had finished gathering his purchases for the day. Duncan tried to make small talk as he scanned the books, but he wasn't focusing on their conversation in the slightest, concentrating his magic still on finding out more about this man. </p><p>"Thank you!" the man said cheerfully as he walked for the door. The bell above the entrance rang out once again, and a name finally came to Duncan.</p><p>
  <em>Salem. </em>
</p><p>His name was Salem.</p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Luce was sitting next to Sophia in the flying classroom at Alitia when Erika walked in. Their flying teacher was humming to herself as she took her place standing at the front of the room. "Good afternoon, everyone!" Erika chirped, crossing her arms as she smiled. "I'm glad to see that you're all doing well after the... Unforeseen circumstances last semester changed up our daily routines."</p><p>Unforeseen circumstances? That was putting it lightly. Judging by all the other confused and shocked glances from around the room, Luce knew that the others in her class though the exact same thing. She cast a brief gaze over to Sophia, seeing a frown on the nature enchantress' face. A few seconds later, she focused her attention back on Erika. </p><p>"I know that a lot has happened as of late, and it's weird coming back to school after spending so much time in chaos," Erika continued. "With that said, we're going to be taking today as a break of sorts. I'm going to tell you more about wings, and we're going to call that good. I don't think it's required that we get right into action immediately, and I don't want to stress anybody out given that coming back to class after all that happened is more than enough to worry about. Does that sound alright to everyone?"</p><p>Cheers rose up from the crowd at Erika's words, and Luce knew that most teachers would have been bothered by such, but Erika was too chill to care. The flight teacher grinned and snapped, creating a chair before flopping backwards on it. She tucked her hands behind her head and began to speak once again. "Alright. We're going to talk about the technical impacts of wings on the body. I'm sure that this is review for most of you, but it never hurts to go over old things again. Basics are important when it comes to mastering harder things," Erika continued. </p><p>In the seconds that followed, the rest of the class got comfortable, seeing that Erika wasn't going to care much regardless of what positions they were sitting in. Sophia remained sitting upright for the most part, but Luce kicked back and leaned so that she was laying against the floor. There weren't all that many desks in the flying classroom due to its emphasis on practical learning, so when a lecture did come, most students just enjoyed the space provided by the open floor. </p><p>"Some think that wings are dependent on what gender one is assigned at birth," Erika began. "However, this could not be further from the truth. Wings are entirely dependent on how the mage feels on the matter. Those who tend to align more feminine fall under the wings category while masculine people don't have them. Those in the middle can choose if they wish to have wings or not. Some mages are even able to decide between transformations if they want to show their wings or not."</p><p>Luce stared up at the ceiling, paying as much attention to Erika's words as she could. She hadn't learned all that much about wings growing up since she never really needed to. She knew that Lianna, the twins, and Lewith had them, but since she hadn't reached the Isolis level, she never bothered asking about them. She figured that it was a bridge she could cross when she got there, but she hadn't seen said bridge until after she arrived at Alitia. </p><p>"There are two spectrums when it comes to magic. There's the spectrum of wings and the spectrum of magical practice. I'm sure that you are all aware of the matter of magical practice. You can choose between power and control when choosing between dark and light respectively. There are Blends who walk the fine line between the two since they have multiple elements under their control. Most Blends tend to go to one side or the other after a while to ensure that they master their powers eventually," Erika continued. </p><p><em>Like Anneliese, </em>Luce thought vaguely. When she thought of her Blend companion, she remembered that Cerise fell into that category as well. Cerise was a Blend, so which side did she sway to slightly? There hadn't been anything yet that pointed Luce in one direction or the other, so she was left to do nothing more than guess. How frustrating. </p><p>"As for wings, one can choose if they wish to have them or not. Most of the time, it's a subconscious decision. People don't even realize that they made a given choice until after they transform for the first time," Erika went on. "You all chose to have wings, so that's why you're here at Alitia. The difference between Alitia and Angelwood is that you chose to have wings while the wizards of Angelwood did not. It's less a divide between men and women and more a split between those who have wings and those who don't, though not everybody realizes this."</p><p>Lewith had been given the choice to have wings or not since they fell outside the binaries of men and women. They wound up selecting to have them, changing the way they fought greatly. Luce hadn't thought at the time that this choice mattered at all since she hadn't known it was an option. Either way, she would have likely chosen to have wings if the option had come to her. </p><p>"The middle of the wing spectrum consists of people who can shape shift. Shapeshifters can decide if they wish to have wings or not when they transform, though this changes their magical core energy. The reason that Alitia and Angelwood are separate schools is because of how wings impact core magic. Magic circulates differently through people who have wings when compared to those who don't have any. If not for this difference, the schools would be one and the same," Erika declared. </p><p>Come to think of it, Luce hadn't ever seen Cryon transform. He didn't have wings, evident by the fact that he attended Ridgeview alongside Caius rather than Acadia alongside Altina. Luce supposed that he had never needed to change the way he appeared in order to unlock his full strength. She would have to ask him about it at some point when she was next back on Amity. </p><p>"It is possible for someone to be given wings or have them taken away via surgery. However, this does change the way one's magical core works, so it's not a common procedure. Basically, wings don't determine automatically what someone identifies as, so it's best to be careful about assuming," Erika said. </p><p>Luce couldn't help but wonder if there were exceptions to this rule. There had to be, as it seemed all laws of nature had at least one person who defied it somehow. She didn't know how she would possibly go about asking such a question, but it lingered for quite some time in the back of her mind. </p><p>Luckily, she didn't need to try. Erika answered it before she was able to say a word about these potential exceptions. "Of course, there are those who lack wings with the magical core of someone who has them... It's very rare, but there are magical cores that are unstable in the wing department, leading to an odd combination. I don't think I've ever met anybody who falls into that category... It is pretty rare, after all," Erika remarked. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>"What?"</p><p>Minerva had her head in one hand, a small sigh leaving her lips. She refused to look up at the projection of Altina standing before her in her office. They were still at their separate schools since classes were going on, but they found ways to communicate around this. The most common was holographic communicators, and it was the way they were using then. </p><p>"You heard me," Altina replied with a small shrug. "I heard it on the news this morning, and I doubt that you're going to be able to escape it forever."</p><p>Minerva shook her head, finally taking her hand away from her face to look up at Altina. "I can't tell if I should be relieved or concerned for the sanity of everyone on this planet. Starlight and Moonlight can try their hardest, but neither one of them will be able to save the people of Millennia from Leviathan Prome," she grumbled. </p><p>Leviathan Prome was Minerva's younger brother. Once upon a time, they had been close as could be as siblings, but they had drifted apart when Minerva was sent off to attend Alitia. They hadn't spoken to each other in a long time, not since Minerva was a member of the royal family of her home planet of Pyre, but if he was truly visiting, they could possibly reconnect. </p><p>Of course, this plan had a few issues here and there. Leviathan was known for finding ways to cause problems just about everywhere he went. He had good intentions and was far from a bad person, but he simply didn't know how to keep himself from slipping into trouble. </p><p>The Guardians of Neo-Yen were coming to visit Millennia on a diplomatic visit. Guardians were meant to defend their planets from any potential danger, but they were also involved with politics to smooth over issues where they were needed. Their leader, Aurore Monroe, had volunteered to aid Millennia in the restoration effort after the Thanatos War. Most of Millennium City had healed, but due to political situations back on Neo-Yen, they hadn't been able to offer their help until then. Help was better late rather than never, so it was accepted without an issue. </p><p>Minerva hadn't spoken to Leviathan in a long time, but last she had heard, he had become a Guardian of Neo-Yen. Most of the time, Guardians were from the planet they defended, but Leviathan was far from being on good terms with Pyre. Minerva wasn't sure what could have drawn him to settle on Neo-Yen of all places, but she was happy that he was having a good time. </p><p>As unnerved as she was that he was coming to visit, she was happy to be able to see him again after all this time. It had been years upon years since the siblings had last seen one another, but she couldn't help her worries that he would wind up wrapped in some sort of trouble. It seemed to follow him wherever he went. </p><p>"I know that you're worried about this, but I'm sure that it will be fine," Altina assured Minerva. "He's your brother, and you told me yourself when we were students that he cares about you a lot. He wouldn't have volunteered to be disowned by your parents if he didn't care."</p><p>"I know," Minerva grumbled. She wanted to say more, but she couldn't think of any words. All of a sudden, her brain lacked the ability to put the pieces of sentences together. </p><p>Altina frowned to herself and looked up past Minerva. "Ah, a student just came to see me. I'll see you later," she said. A few seconds later, the other line disconnected, and Minerva reached one hand out to end the call. </p><p>Minerva sighed, leaning back in her chair once again as she shut her eyes. She shook her head to herself, unsure of what else she could even do. Altina had a point, but that didn't stop her from worrying. </p><p>Once upon a time, Minerva wouldn't have worried about this in the slightest. She and Leviathan had been inseparable as kids, but that all changed when she left to attend school at Alitia. </p><p>Alitia. Not Sacred Heart. </p><p>Their home planet of Pyre was always tense when it came to wings. They were perhaps considered traditional and old-fashioned by some, but to Minerva, it was aggravating and oppressive. The matter of wings had always been a touchy subject, and she hated it. </p><p>Minerva had meant to attend school at Alitia with her younger sister, Brynn. That almost seemed like a different lifetime now. In a way, it was. Back then, she had been Princess Minerva Ardent, not Headmistress Minerva Claudere. </p><p>A kidnapping and ransom incident left her without wings, and she was as good as useless. Her magical core was unbalanced as could be. Back then, the surgical procedure to remove or receive wings was niche and frowned upon, though she couldn't have gotten new ones even if she wanted to. Minerva's magical core had reached an unhealthy balance in between that of a mage with wings and without. It would have been too dangerous to try and give her something new, but it cost her everything. </p><p>She switched to Sacred Heart to avoid Brynn after she was disowned, but her magical core was forever unstable. It caused her hair to spark to flame when she was angered even slightly. Minerva was an unholy abomination with no way of finding balance. She didn't belong at Sacred Heart or Sierra since she was neither winged nor wingless. </p><p>Minerva Ardent became Minerva Claudere, and her loyal brother followed her away from everything they had ever known. Leviathan, being the defiant shapeshifter he was, gained wings when he came of age and flew into the sunset to follow his sister. Unfortunately, they drifted apart as they attended different schools years apart. It had been ages since they last spoke, but Minerva still cared about him, and she was sure that he felt the same. </p><p>Leviathan had always been a magnet for trouble, but it had perhaps grown worse when he followed Minerva away from his inheritance as a prince of Igni. As much as she cared about him, Minerva was terrified of facing him. She was feared everywhere, known for her courage in the face of opposition, but he was the most difficult person for her to encounter. </p><p>After all, wasn't it partially her fault that he had been forced out of their family? It was far from a loving environment, but he gave up everything just to be with her. Minerva was responsible for all that had befallen him since he left behind their family, and she didn't know how to face that. She carried the weight of her effect on him for years, and she was scared of seeing how it would change him once they were standing before each other in flesh and blood. </p><p>Legends from the time of the War of Starlight told of a wingless witch. Her deeds were little more than rumors now even if everyone knew she existed. Nobody had put the pieces together about why she never transformed, instead choosing to fight in her less powerful form. She was a terror on the battlefield, but deep down, it all spawned because she knew that she had been a terror to her brother's life. </p><p>She could pretend it was because he was a trouble magnet all she wanted, but Minerva knew she was worried because she had damaged his future past the point of no return, and she would never be able to fix it. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Minerva and Leviathan are definitely a reference to something but it's a secret what</p><p>-Digital</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. VIII: Torn Between Future and Past</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>A party is arranged at Angelwood to celebrate the Millennia restoration.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The next day, Luce walked into her history class with her breath held. She glanced around nervously, hoping that Cessair was there. She hadn't seen the enchantress of water since the attack by the Alight Five, and she was concerned about what had happened to her friend in the time since then. Cessair was nowhere near as used to battle as the rest of the group, and Luce couldn't help but feel awful for accidentally dragging Cessair into a fight like that. During the Thanatos War, Cessair had taken a backseat rather than fighting on the front lines. She was naturally more inclined towards research and learning, so battle was foreign to her. Unfortunately, this turned out to be her glaring weakness when the Alight Five appeared. </p><p>Luce let out a sigh of relief when she saw Cessair was sitting in the empty seat right next to where Luce usually made her home. They typically sat together given how close they had become during Luce's first semester at Alitia, and she was glad to see that the new session was no exception. She dashed over to where Cessair was located and slid into her seat, doing her best to hide her sigh of relief. "I'm so glad to see that you're doing okay," Luce said simply. </p><p>Cessair had been reading a book until Luce appeared, though she set down the tome to let out a gasp when she realized who the newcomer was. "Luce!" she exclaimed, practically throwing herself at the other girl. "How have you been?"</p><p>"I've been fine," Luce replied quickly. "How about you? Did you recover alright from that battle? I know that fighting all the time can be a bit intense, and since you're not used to it, I've been rather concerned that you--"</p><p>"Luce, I'm fine," Cessair assured her. "I know that you're all protective and stuff, but you don't need to be... Who would have ever expected the niece to be the overprotective one?" Cessair let out a small laugh as she shook her head.</p><p>Luce and Cessair hadn't known they were related for long. It had been a surprising revelation that only came out thanks to the threat of Iago waging war the previous semester. They were both descended from the leader of the Thanatos line, and while it was unfortunate, it had brought them together. It had also brought out a protective side that Luce didn't even realize she had, and she suddenly understood why her father always panicked whenever she was running off into dangerous situations. </p><p>Cessair suddenly let out a gasp. "Wait a minute... I just realized! We touched, and there was no zapping thing!" she exclaimed. "Your Starlight didn't try to make us blow up!"</p><p>"Oh, that," Luce murmured. "Over break, I became a lot better at controlling Starlight. Also, Lianna taught me a spell to ensure that I didn't get shocked when I touched those with Moonlight. It doesn't tell me whenever somebody has that power anymore, but I don't think I even need that benefit anymore. After all, we aren't fighting against people who can get possessed by somebody with Moonlight anymore, so... I think it's fine that I'm sealing the shock effect."</p><p>"I'm glad that we're finally able to touch each other without any issues. I know for sure that I like this better than the situation we had last semester," Cessair grinned. "That aside, how have you been doing since the fight? Has anything interesting happened? I'm sorry I haven't been by to see you or the rest of the girls. Severine has been pretty protective of me because of what happened on the way to Millennium City. She's not the most protective person that I know, but... She can be a little tense when she wants to be."</p><p>"Not much has happened for us either. We've been trying to learn more about the Alight Five, but it isn't going well. Carys suggested that we sneak off to Igni to figure out who killed Princess Octavia ourselves, but that plan might not work out as well as we're hoping," Luce replied. "Tanith hasn't found all that much out regarding our foes, so that's how you know that we're dealing with some dangerous people. Not even Professor Ogun was able to help us learn more about them. I know that you've probably been busy getting ready for the new school year and all, but... Have you gotten the chance to look into the Alight Five or what's been going on with Igni as of late?"</p><p>Cessair shook her head. "I haven't had any time to research it, I'm afraid. However, that is certainly at the top of my to-do list. If you want to know anything about what's going on with Igni, just ask me, and I'll do what I can to figure it out. I know that everything has been moving rather quickly as of late, so if you need help, I'm here," she said. </p><p>"If you could help us to figure out more about Octavia and the king, that would be amazing," Luce smiled. "We would really appreciate it. I'm sure that S.M. will be able to tell us all that we need to know about the general culture, but those two seem to have been rather distant from her for most of her life."</p><p>"That doesn't surprise me. As far as I understand, S.M. has leath blood in her, and if that's the case, she's likely been disowned by her family. The nobility of Igni can be rather picky when it comes to who's allowed within the line. For the most part, only those with magical powers and full mage blood are allowed to be named heir to the throne. If she has any leath blood running through her veins, then it wouldn't work out with the king for her," Cessair replied with a small frown. "It's unfortunate, but nobody has been able to change things there. Igni has been like this since it was established in the days of Starlight and Moonlight themselves."</p><p>"I see," Luce frowned, shaking her head. "If we can't change it, then fine. We'll just have to be ready for whatever is coming for us. I don't understand why everyone seems intent on being an ass to leaths, but we aren't going to stand for that. If only every planet was as relaxed on the subject as Millennia..."</p><p>"Elitist planets are nothing new, I'm afraid," Cessair shrugged. "They've been this way for many years, and I doubt they'll be changing unless some grand revolution changes the status quo forever. Octavia might have been that revolutionary for Igni when she took the throne, but... It seems that's not how it was meant to be. I'll do what I can to find out more about Princess Octavia and King Surion. If I find out anything interesting, I'll be sure to contact you as soon as I can."</p><p>"Thanks, Cess," Luce smiled. She held up one fist for Cessair to bump, and after a few seconds of giddy hesitation, she received what she was searching for. </p><p>As if on cue, Severine came walking in. She was just as composed as always, and Luce went to grab her things out of her backpack. It had wound up on the floor next to her at some point after she gave her greetings to Cessair, so she reached down and pulled out her textbook. </p><p>It felt good to get back into something of a routine. Who knew that talking to Cessair could be so therapeutic for her?</p><p>~~~~~</p><p>A few hours later, Luce slid into her seat at the lunch table she had come to know so well. The other girls were already there. She glanced around at them, picking up her sandwich and taking a bite. "So, how have your days been going so far?" she asked.</p><p>Sophia shrugged. "I suppose it's been alright. It feels nice to get back to classes. I sure would have preferred this to fighting at the end of last semester," she said. </p><p>"I've been trying to do more research in between classes, but I still can't find anything," Tanith frowned. "I guess it could be worse, but it's still rather frustrating that we know so little about our foes."</p><p>"I'm sure that you'll find something soon enough," Helena smiled, wrapping an arm around Tanith's shoulders. The smaller girl leaned into her grasp, a small yet content smile on her face. </p><p>"Classes are sure to keep us distracted. That way, we won't be constantly paranoid until we can sneak out to Igni," Iris remarked. </p><p>"I'm glad that you all see the genius of my plan," Carys grinned. "It's just a matter of time before we set out. We've already sat around for quite a while, and I think it's time for us to start doing some research. We can't get rid of the Alight Five until we find something new for them to chase after, and they're looking for the one behind that murder."</p><p>Luce opened her mouth to respond, but she was cut off when a delicate yet shrill sound echoed through the cafeteria. She glanced around, trying to find the source of the noise. Her gaze eventually settled on a podium positioned at the front of the cafeteria. She saw someone stepping onto it, and Luce recognized said person as none other than Zylphia. </p><p>"I wonder what this is about," S.M. murmured. She picked up her cup of tea, taking a long drink before setting it back down. </p><p>Zylphia looked around to ensure she had caught everyone's attention before clearing her throat and speaking. "Good afternoon, students. I hope that you are having a nice first week back at school. Today, I come with an important announcement. As I'm sure most of you recall, many schools in the Millennium Six were damaged or otherwise destroyed during the war against Iago Thanatos at the end of last semester. Alitia has been blessed enough to be mostly restored to its former glory in time for classes. Other schools have not been as fortunate," she declared. </p><p>Luce perked up at hearing the name of her deceased enemy. She took a drink from her water bottle, wiping at her mouth with the back of her hand as she focused her attention fully on Zylphia. Her eyes narrowed slightly at the acknowledgement of Iago. Even if it was unavoidable, she still didn't like hearing about him. Zylphia must have had a reason for bringing him up, and she was curious as could be about what that reason was. </p><p>"To honor the reconstruction of the Millennium Six and Millennia as a whole, a festival is being held at Angelwood this weekend to celebrate all that has been done since the Thanatos War. A lot of damage was done during Iago's conquest of Millennium City, and many lives were uprooted or ruined. However, the community has come together to support each other in the aftermath of such trying times, and Headmaster Maestro has offered to allow all the students of the Millennium Six to travel to his school to enjoy the party," Zylphia continued. "It will be held this Saturday night, and if you wish to come, you had best be prepared. It won't be anything formal, so you don't need to worry about your outward appearance."</p><p>A few whispers rose up from the cafeteria, and Luce looked over to her companions with a small smile on her face. Tanith could hardly contain her excitement, and Luce assumed that this was the first the air enchantress was hearing of this. Tanith had always been rather close with her adoptive parents, though she couldn't spend as much time with Jin since he had to manage Angelwood while she and Zylphia were at Alitia. She was certainly giddy to be given an extra chance to see him, and her smile was unmistakable. </p><p>"The other head teachers will be there as well. If all goes according to plan, Acadia, Sierra, and Sacred Heart will be fully restored by the time the part begins," Zylphia went on. "This is truly the benchmark of the end of the war, and life will finally go back to normal. Until then, do what you must to settle into Alitia. If you need anything from the staff, we are here to listen to your concerns. You are dismissed."</p><p>The chatter in the cafeteria only got louder from that point on, and Luce couldn't help but smirk to her companions. "So, we totally have to go to this festival. If it's meant to honor the progress made since the war, we're practically required. After all, we were fighting with that guy for months before he finally got a sword in the heart. We deserve to feel good about all that we did," she told them. </p><p>"I agree!" Tanith grinned. "Zylphia didn't tell me that this was happening, so I'm going to guess that it was a last-minute addition that was planned this morning. It doesn't matter to me at all though! I just want to see Jin more."</p><p>"Maybe they'll do something to honor what we did during the war," Carys murmured. "Think about it. We did a lot of the work during the war. I know that defending Alitia and all was important, but who went into Sacred Heart to find him? Who went with Headmistress Latheia to hopefully kill him? Who chased after him, Myra, and Chester when he decided to take everybody down while they were taking refuge in Alitia?"</p><p>"I know that we did a lot, but I would be okay if we didn't get any attention," Sylvia admitted. "We were involved with the war just like everybody else here was. Besides, the sooner we can forget about what happened, the better. Iago did all sorts of stuff to ruin our lives. On top of that, there were a lot of students from Sacred Heart and Sierra who were possessed by him. I doubt they want to relive that through our war memories."</p><p>"I'm glad that the festival is being held at Angelwood and not Acadia like last time," Helena said. "It wouldn't be good if something happened to the dome again. Besides, I bet that the building is still suffering a bit from the attacks. I heard that it got absolutely ravaged."</p><p>"That would be putting it lightly," S.M. snorted. "Regardless, I feel like we've all made up our minds. Even though we have complicated feelings about what happened during the war, we have to go and see what this party is about. We deserve to move on after all that took place."</p><p>"I agree," Luce nodded. "I'm glad this gives us something to look forward to for the rest of the week. Here's to hoping that this will be great." She smiled widely as she picked up her water bottle once again, holding it up for a toast. The others all returned the gesture of grinning before bumping glasses, their giggles echoing throughout their small corner of the cafeteria. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Luce was the first to arrive at her magical combat class that day. She glanced around the large, open gymnasium with a small smile before her gaze settled upon the teacher of the class. Michaela was sitting at a small table at the back of the gym, and Luce dashed up to her. </p><p>"It's nice to see that you're back and better than ever," Michaela smiled at Luce when she noticed the younger girl was approaching. She pushed back from the table and opened her arms for an embrace. </p><p>Luce returned the gesture, grinning to herself. "Hey, Professor Apollo," she murmured. The two held each other for a while before pulling apart. Out of all of Luce's teachers, Michaela was the one that she had connected with the fastest. Even if she had known Alistair longer or talked with Zylphia for extended periods of time, she was closest with Michaela. Out of all of her teachers, Michaela was definitely the one that Luce had missed speaking with the most over break. </p><p>"I'm glad to see that you're still as ready to fight as always," Michaela remarked with a small smile. "I know that everything is hard at the moment, going back to normal after such a drastic upheaval with Iago's attack on Millennia, but... I'm glad to see that some things never change. When everything changes, the things that don't become even more important than ever before."</p><p>"Always so wise," Luce murmured. "I certainly missed seeing you each day while break was going on. I hope that you don't mind talking to me for a while before everyone else gets here. I came here as quickly as I could to make sure that we had a bit of time to talk to each other about how life has been going."</p><p>"I'm glad that you care enough to talk to me to go that far," Michaela smiled. "You might look like a hardened mercenary on the outside, but I know exactly what you are deep down. You're a big softie, and you just need a bit of support from someone you care about to bring that out and to the surface. You don't need to hide anything around your companions, you know."</p><p>"I've been getting better with showing emotion," Luce told her. "I wouldn't say that I'm a professional at it or anything, though I don't really think that's a profession in the first place. You get the point. What I'm trying to say is that I'm more open with expressing myself than I was last time we met."</p><p>"I can already tell. I saw you in the cafeteria with your friends today, and you certainly seemed more vibrant and expressive than last semester. I suppose that's one thing that the war did right. It allowed you to connect with your close companions in a way that not everyone gets to understand," Michaela remarked. "I just wish that you all had gotten to know each other in times of peace."</p><p>"It would have taken longer for us to fully connect, but I agree," Luce murmured. She shook her head, trying to banish all thoughts of Iago from her head. The last thing she wanted to think about was her pain in the ass excuse of a grandfather. </p><p>"Either way, how have you been doing since we last saw each other?" Michaela questioned. She paused for a moment, examining Luce with a careful gaze. "I can certainly tell that your magic has gotten stronger. I suppose I can sense it. You've been putting in quite a bit of work to make sure that you get better with fighting using your powers. I'm proud of you for putting in so much effort. I know that not everyone has the determination to press on with something that isn't easy for them."</p><p>"I'm not the type of person to let my magic beat me. If I want to get stronger, I'll have to overcome obstacles. That's part of growth. I can't neglect that simply because it doesn't come naturally to me. The battlefield doesn't care what you are naturally talented in. All that it cares about is who wins or loses. If strengthening my magic will help me to find victory in the future, then that's what I need to do. Besides, transforming doesn't augment my physical strength, and it would be foolish to have Isolis at my disposal while ignoring the extra power that it grants me," Luce replied with a shrug. </p><p>"I can already tell that you've come far since first enrolling at Alitia," Michaela smiled gently. "You weren't originally going to attend classes here, but I'm glad that you did. After all, we never would have met if you hadn't come to school here. You did a lot during the war, and it pains me to think of what could have happened if we hadn't been able to fight alongside you."</p><p>Luce sighed. "You aren't the only one who thinks about that from time to time. I try not to focus on it too much since it tends to aggravate me. Thinking about Iago is frustrating. I just want everything to go back to normal already, but I know it isn't that easy. Alitia was used as a hub for the later battles. I'm almost glad that I wasn't here for most of the fighting. That way, I don't look around and instantly see a place of bloodshed. I feel awful for the students of Acadia, Sierra, and Sacred Heart. They have no choice but to remember what happened, and no renovations will ever erase what they saw during those battles," she whispered. </p><p>"I know that it's hard to think about all of this, but we overcame it once, so we can do it again. We don't have to deal with him anymore, so we can safely leave him in the past and move towards a brighter future. The restoration process is going rather well, even if it seems like it's already taken forever. What matters most is that we're making progress, and after we're out of this period of history, we won't ever have to look back on it again," Michaela said. </p><p>Luce nodded slowly to show that she understood. "I'm hoping that the Angelwood festivities are the last we hear of all this. After all, we have to move on already. The Alight Five are after my friends, and I can't let them get away with it. I can't linger on what happened last semester when new events are staring me in the face. It would be foolish to remain rooted in the past when the future is right there, and it's threatening to crush the people I care about," she told Michaela. </p><p>"Everything has been stressful, and I understand. However, I want you to know that you aren't alone. You might not have been involved in the same way that other people were, but we all took part in a mutually traumatizing experience. That's part of what this is. Trauma. It isn't easy to move on, but life does go forward. There is something after the darkness, and while it's hard to step outside your comfort zone to reach it, I'm sure that you can do it," Michaela assured her. </p><p>Luce considered her words slowly, nodding cautiously. She knew that Michaela was right, but she couldn't shake the thought that she didn't have time for trauma. The Alight Five weren't giving her time to leave her shattered emotional state in the past, and she couldn't afford to wait any longer than she already had. She was a warrior, and fighters didn't have time for feelings. She had become more emotional, but at what cost?</p><p>Michaela reached out one hand to touch Luce's shoulder, and the enchantress of Starlight jumped at the sudden contact. "It's alright to not move on right away. Emotions are difficult to grapple with, and after a traumatic event, it's natural to not go back to normal right away. Not everybody can move on at such a rapid pace, and it might not even be healthy for those who do have the ability to do so. You suffered through something awful. You can let yourself pause and figure out where you want to point your sights in the future," Michaela told Luce, her tone soft and delicate. </p><p>Luce frowned and shook her head. "I already know where I need to go. The Alight Five are causing problems now. I don't have time to wait and see what happens next. I need to make sure that my friends are safe. They already caused problems and got Cessair hurt. I refuse to let something like that happen again. I want to just stop thinking about him already. He's caused enough strife, and I don't know if I'll ever be able to move on if I don't do it now. I have the future to focus on," she murmured. </p><p>"Luce, you don't always have to be a hero," Michaela said.</p><p>Luce looked up at her with a small frown. "What do you mean?" she asked hesitantly. </p><p>"I know that you've been raised to fight. It's hard to move on after being taught that it's your primary purpose. You embraced it, and that's not a bad thing, but... You don't need to be the fearless mercenary all the time. There is more out there than just hiding your feelings for the sake of others. You might be a warrior, but you don't always have to be. It's alright to drop that mask every once in a while when you need to," Michaela explained. "You don't have to be a hero all the time."</p><p>Luce considered her words, swallowing silently. In a way, Michaela was right. Perhaps she was putting up this front because she was scared of what would happen if she peeled it away. She hadn't ever been in a fight as large as the one against Iago, and she knew that the scars from it would remain even if he had been dead and buried for quite some time. It was traumatic whether she chose to accept it or not. </p><p>She had to move on for the sake of stopping the Alight Five. That was her only option, right? She didn't have time to stop and sort out her own feelings. She had hoped for some sense of normality after the war, but that simply wasn't the case. Luce couldn't afford to stop. The world expected her to keep running, so she had to do so. </p><p>"You know, even the best athletes need to stop every once in a while," Michaela went on. "The best runners can only keep going for so long. If they never stop, they'll only drive themselves into the ground. The same applies to you. I understand that you have a lot on your shoulders right now. The Alight Five are still an issue, and I know that. However, you can still let yourself go in here. This might be a class meant for fighting with magic, but you aren't just a fighter while you're here. You're a fighter. Above all else, you are Luce Elenes. The title of a warrior means little before who you are."</p><p>Luce nodded slowly, unsure of what else she could do. She knew that her voice would fail her if she said anything verbally, so she let the silence speak for her instead. She avoided Michaela's gaze, afraid of what would happen if they met eyes. </p><p>Michaela reached out one hand to cup Luce's chin, tiling her head upwards to that they were looking at each other fully. Luce found that staring into Michaela's eyes was far less frightening than she had initially expected. </p><p>"If you ever need anything, you can come to me. I'm always here for you. I mean that. You don't need to be a fighter with me. You just need to be Luce," Michaela smiled. </p><p>"Thanks," Luce murmured, taking a small step back. She looked over her shoulder and saw that others were trickling in for class. She focused her attention back to Michaela soon after. "Well, everybody else is getting here, so I shouldn't take your attention for too much longer. I don't want anybody to get impatient."</p><p>"Don't be afraid of taking up my time when there isn't class though. I've always said that I'm here for my students, and that applies to you as well. It's been my promise from the first day to take care of everyone. I know you're new to this unfamiliar environment of being a mage. Even if you've been here for half a year, everyone else has known about their powers for much longer. I understand that you need extra help, and I'm happy to provide it," Michaela continued. "I'm happy to speak with you whenever you need it, alright?"</p><p>Luce nodded. "I appreciate that. Even if I don't wind up taking you up on that offer, the fact that you would say so in the first place really means a lot to me. I'm not exactly great when it comes to expressing myself, but... Maybe I'll be able to change that soon."</p><p>"I think you'll be just fine with it. All you need is that one little push to get you out of your shell," Michaela smiled. She opened her arms for one last hug, and the two embraced once more. Afterwards, they pulled away from each other, and Luce waved to Michaela before walking away. Michaela waved as well. </p><p>Luce sat against the wall, closing her eyes and leaning her head back. Michaela truly was more amazing than she ever could have imagined, and Luce thought that she was nice enough as it was before they shared that conversation. </p><p>It was odd to think that the events with Iago were actually traumatizing. The word made sense to her, but she hadn't given it the slightest thought. She hadn't ever been through a traumatic event like that before, and she didn't know how she was supposed to grapple with it. Was it normal for her to just want to move on? Did everyone else feel the same way?</p><p>Luce wasn't sure, but she was positive that she wanted to go to the party at Angelwood that weekend. Maybe all she needed was a bit of closure. That was one reason that her friends had wanted to jump on the opportunity, and she wasn't going to stay behind while they went and had fun. If she could properly seal away these traumatic memories in the past, maybe she would be able to move forward. Perhaps forcing herself to move on so soon had been where she went wrong. Maybe it would be best if it happened naturally. </p><p>Luce wasn't sure of what was going to be coming next, but she was going to do what she could to face it. She didn't always have to be a warrior, but that didn't stop her from doing her best to face the future head on. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This update is nice for how simple and low key it is I love it</p><p>-Digital</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. IX: Angelwood</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The girls go to Angelwood for the recovery celebration.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When the weekend came around, Luce shuffled around her room, resisting the urge to yawn. Sleep hadn't come as easily to her as it had in the past since her conversation with Michaela. She didn't know how to approach the subject that her teacher had brought up, and she wasn't even sure if she wanted to. </p><p>She was Luce Elenes. She was a warrior, a bearer of Starlight, and a war hero. She hadn't even turned eighteen yet, but she was already on top of the damn world. Why was the war dragging her down so far? Maybe it was because she hadn't ever faced trauma until then, but she hated it regardless. She wanted Iago to just leave her alone forever. She had dealt with him enough already, hadn't she?</p><p>Luce brushed off thoughts of him as she pulled on a hoodie. Since the party was rather casual, she was going with a relaxed outfit. Carys might have liked to take every possible chance to dress up, but she was far from being like Carys. Luce found herself satisfied with a white hoodie and pale blue jeans with black combat boots. She looked at her sword, wondering if it would be a good idea to bring it along to the party. </p><p>Last time she had been at a party like this, Iago had appeared and brought someone under his control. Luce had been forced to fight to protect a defenseless Sylvia while everyone else escaped, and her sword always helped her in a fight. What if something like that happened again?</p><p>Luce let out a sigh, shaking her head. She wasn't dealing with Iago anymore. He was gone. He had been gone for ages, and she had to stop thinking about him. No matter what Michaela said, she had to move on for the sake of S.M.'s future. There were countless people counting on her, and she couldn't let them down after being a beacon of hope for so long. </p><p>Instead of grabbing her sword, Luce simply reached for a small dagger, sliding it onto her belt. She examined herself in the mirror, brushing her way through her bob with her hair. Luce halfway considered pulling away the hair from in front of her eye, but she shook her head and let it fall back into place. Now wasn't the time for her to go changing up everything that she knew as familiar and good. </p><p>Once she was happy with her appearance, Luce grabbed a pair of fingerless gloves off her bedside table and tugged them onto her hands. She clenched her hands into fists a few times before her grasp instinctively went to her dagger. She took in a deep breath before releasing it and walking towards the door, trying to push the unpleasant memories of the times Acadia had been made into a battlefield out of her mind. </p><p>She couldn't even begin to express her relief that this party wasn't held at Acadia. She didn't need to remember the glass raining from above after the attack. She didn't want to think about what had happened at the party the previous semester. This was all about having a good time and moving past Iago, so she had to stop thinking about him. Maybe this would be the closure she needed to move on fully from what had happened the year before. </p><p>When Luce walked out into the main area of her dorm where the others were all waiting for her, she saw that they were embracing this calm moment. Most of them were wearing rather loose clothing, and even Carys managed to look fancy without overdressing. </p><p>"Are we ready to go?" Tanith asked excitedly with a wide grin. </p><p>"I think so," S.M. replied. "I texted Nebula and Anneliese already. They're going to be meeting us there, and the same goes for Cessair. We can talk once we arrive there."</p><p>"I'm glad to hear that we'll get to see them again," Sophia smiled. "Now, let's go on over there."</p><p>In the minutes that followed, the party walked out of Alitia and into the courtyard. From there, it was a matter of going towards Angelwood. Luce stared down at the grass, kicking a stray pebble along. She took in a deep breath whenever she thought they were wandering into familiar territory near where Iago had died. Part of her wanted to pull up her hood to focus only on the way the tip of her boot came into contact with the rock as she guided it along the path. </p><p>"Hey, Luce. Are you okay?"</p><p>Luce was jolted out of her thoughts when she heard a voice off to her right. She looked over to see Sylvia standing there. Sylvia looked absolutely adorable with her simple pink dress and purple tights. Her hair was tied into a loose messy bun with a pair of mint green hair sticks shoved inside. She finished off the look with a few glittering pieces of jewelry and white flats. </p><p>Luce stared at Sylvia with wide eyes, feeling a blush starting to creep up through her cheeks. "H-Hey, Syl... You look great tonight," she murmured, unsure of what else she could even say. She sure thought that Sylvia was looking gorgeous that night, and that was a good way to at least start off the conversation, right?</p><p>"Thanks. You too," Sylvia replied. Luce got the feeling that she was just being nice since Luce had mostly pulled on whatever she had in order to get out the door faster. Sylvia had actively gone out of her way to look cute, and part of Luce wondered if it was because she wanted a bit of attention from her girlfriend. </p><p>Was that what they were? It was hard to say for sure given the recent events. They were cuddly and kissed each other from time to time, but they didn't talk about it with others at all. Instead, they kept their affection limited, only ever indulging in displays of affection when their roommates were around at most. Luce hadn't bothered to ask, and Sylvia seemed satisfied, so she didn't say anything. </p><p>Maybe it was her uncertainty about the night that was making the issue seem much larger than it actually was. She wasn't positive, but she hoped that she would have a proper answer sooner rather than later. </p><p>"Again, I have to ask... Are you okay?" Sylvia asked, nudging Luce's side with her elbow. </p><p>"Just... I've been thinking. That's all," Luce answered. She would be lying if she said that she was an openly emotional person, and most of the time, silence was the way that she spoke. It was the way that she didn't speak her mind that said everything she was thinking about. The system may have seemed odd to most, but her friends understood it fully, so they didn't ask her to be more open with her thoughts than she already was. </p><p>"Well, if you want to talk about it, I'm here to listen," Sylvia replied. "We're going to forget all about what's happened in the past tonight, alright? We've overcome incredible obstacles to get here, so we aren't going to let anything pull us down. Think about all the amazing things that we've done so far. We can handle one little party."</p><p>Luce nodded slowly. "Thanks, Syl," she murmured. She let one uncertain arm reach out to pull Sylvia in a bit closer, and before she knew what she was doing, she pressed a small peck to the other girl's forehead. Sylvia giggled to herself before focusing back on the area ahead of them. </p><p>The two continued walking in silence after that. Luce wanted to say something, but deep down, she knew she didn't need to. Sylvia understood what she was thinking, and she knew that the silence was alright. </p><p>It was their own little language of love, it seemed. Luce hoped that didn't ever change. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>When they arrived at Angelwood, they learned that they were far from being the first people to arrive. There were students from all six schools gathered around Angelwood's campus, and a few tables were set up with food here and there. The decorations were minimum, but the festive aura in the air couldn't be denied. Luce hadn't been to Angelwood before, but she had to admit that she liked what she saw. </p><p>"I'm going to find my dad. I'll see you guys a little later!" Tanith exclaimed, unable to keep her wide smile off her face. She waved to them before dashing off. </p><p>Luce gave her a curt wave before looking to the other six in her group. "Alright. Our first order of operations should be to find Nebula and Anneliese. I imagine that they're hanging out together, so hopefully it won't be too hard to find them," she said. </p><p>"In fact, I don't think we'll have to look for them at all," Helena told her, pointing over Luce's shoulder. The girls turned to see what she was gesturing to. "There the two of them are with Professor Denholm and Headmaster Carpathia."</p><p>Sure enough, Nebula and Anneliese were talking to the former's brother and father. The conversation appeared to be rather oddly tense, and that much was clear as could be even from a distance. Luce frowned to herself, unsure of if they should walk into that conversation. </p><p>Iris spoke up next. "Anneliese looks like she's about to run off in nervousness, so maybe we should interrupt. I want to make sure that she's okay," she said. </p><p>It seemed there was no stopping Iris, so Luce shrugged and trailed after her red-haired friend as she approached Nebula and Anneliese. Luce shoved her hands in her pockets, looking up at Karver and Fromir when they arrived at their destination. </p><p>"It's nice to see you here, Karver, but I have other things to take care of. I'm pretty sure that Minerva is calling me. Bye," Fromir said once the girls were in earshot. His face was deadly serious, and he walked away soon afterwards. </p><p>Karver rubbed at the back of his neck. "Ah... I suppose that he doesn't want to talk to me," he remarked quietly with a shake of his head. He noticed the girls standing beside him and began to smile. "I didn't see you girls there. Do you need something?"</p><p>"We were just about to go and hang out with them," Nebula explained, seeing how uncomfortable Anneliese was out of the corner of her eye. "I'll see you later, Dad. We can talk after the party is over, okay?"</p><p>Nebula hurriedly pushed the rest of the girls away from Karver as he walked away. She gestured for them to follow her away and towards a nearby table. There were just enough chairs for them all, and she slid into one. "Sorry about that," she said apologetically to Anneliese. </p><p>"It seems like the relationship between your brother and father is kind of tense," Anneliese commented with a small frown. "You warned me ahead of time, but I don't think that anything you said could have properly prepared me for how awkward that was."</p><p>"That's putting it lightly," Nebula sighed. "You see, they don't get along that well. My father is only a few years older than Fromir, and he didn't exactly take well to getting a new stepfather in the form of Karver. We're only half-siblings, so we didn't see each other much while I was growing up. He was busy managing Sierra and all that. Time hasn't gotten them to calm down in the slightest, I'm afraid. I doubt they'll ever be able to get along. I've been trying to bridge the gap for years, but it never works."</p><p>"That stinks," Sophia frowned. "I hope that it gets better for you three."</p><p>"Even if it doesn't, I get to spend time with them separately. They seem to be able to agree that I'm good regardless of how much they fight. Granted, I don't get to spend as much time with Fromir, but now that I'm on Millennia for school, I have this all under control, so we're able to see each other more," Nebula went on. </p><p>"I hope that their bickering didn't ruin your night," Anneliese commented. "I felt like sinking into the ground when I saw them fighting, and I'm not even related to them, so I can't imagine how awkward it must have been for you."</p><p>Nebula shrugged. "I'm used to it by now, but that's enough of talking about me. How are you guys doing? I didn't get to properly say hello until now, unfortunately," she remarked, looking to the rest of the group with a small smile. </p><p>"We're doing fine," S.M. replied with a small shrug. "Tanith went off to see Headmaster Maestro, so she'll be meeting up with us a bit later on."</p><p>"I see... I was wondering why I didn't see her anywhere," Anneliese murmured. "I suppose that she is pretty close to him, so it makes sense that she would go off to see him."</p><p>Nebula snorted. "I'm willing to bet money that Fromir is off talking with Headmaster Maestro and the rest of the head teachers. There's no way that he actually heard Headmistress Claudere calling for him. Even if she was, why would he go off to talk to her willingly? She's easily the most terrifying person here, which is saying a lot given that Headmistress Satim is here too," she remarked. </p><p>"Maybe he would rather face Headmistress Claudere than talk to your father. If their relationship is really that tense, then I can't blame him for making that choice," Sophia suggested. </p><p>Nebula shrugged. "I suppose that we'll figure it out sooner or later. For now, I think we should try and find Cessair. I think that you guys said she was coming, right?" she commented, starting to glance around the courtyard. </p><p>Helena smiled. "There she is. Hey! Cessair!" She rose to her feet and waved one arm above her head. Luce watched the redheaded enchantress spot Helena and come dashing over, a wide smile on her face. </p><p>"Hey there, everyone!" Cessair smiled. She picked up an unoccupied chair from an empty table nearby before sliding it over. She took a seat in between Nebula and S.M., looking around at everyone else in the area. "I'm glad to see that you all made it in one piece."</p><p>"Same to you," Luce nodded. "What do you guys say to going to get some food? I haven't eaten anything for a while, so it wouldn't hurt."</p><p>"The spread that they have here is amazing! Nebula and I got here while they were still setting up, and there was so much. They're expecting people from Millennium City to come as well, so it's not going to be just the students. I suppose that there would need to be a lot to cover all the people that will be dropping by," Anneliese replied, her grin wider than Luce had ever expected. "There are all sorts of foods, whether they're desserts or meant for meals. I'm sure you'll be able to find at least ten things that you like up there."</p><p>Luce nodded and rose to her feet. "Well, if there's really such good stuff there, then we might as well go check it out," she commented. "I'll be back soon."</p><p>She walked off towards the tables with food, grabbing a table from a nearby stack before examining the spread stretched out before her. "Damn," she whispered before starting her thorough investigation of the food. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Tanith smiled when she saw Jin from afar. He was standing with the rest of the head teachers, taking a sip of a drink she didn't recognize from a distance. She slowly approached him, not wanting to disturb his conversation but wanting his attention regardless. </p><p>"Hey!" Jin exclaimed when he noticed she was there. He passed his drink off to his right hand before wrapping his left arm around her body, pulling her in close. "I'm glad to see that you decided to come. Zylphia thought you would, but I wanted to see for myself what happened."</p><p>"I wouldn't skip out on an opportunity to see you," Tanith told him, smiling brightly. "That's what family does, you know?"</p><p>"You two look absolutely precious," Fromir smiled as he walked up. There was an awkward and weary smile on his face, but the tension in his body seemed to release completely when he found a place standing next to the rest of the Starlight Camaraderie. </p><p>Tanith's face flushed pink with the comment from Fromir, and she looked down. "Ah... Thanks, Headmaster Carpathia," she murmured, unsure of how else to respond. She looked back up to Jin with light in her eyes a few seconds later. "I'm glad that you decided to host this party. With all of the recovery going on, we haven't been able to spend as much time together as I would have liked."</p><p>Zylphia came up behind Tanith on the other side, placing a gentle hand on her adopted daughter's shoulder. "I feel the same way. It seems that there is no time quite like the present, so maybe we can take advantage of it now," she suggested. </p><p>"Maybe you can do that after the initial opening announcement," Minerva suggested. Her arms were crossed, but she was much closer to Altina than Tanith would have expected at first. Minerva and Altina were rarely affectionate in public, and the lack of distance between them was the most she had seen from them in a long time. </p><p>"Opening announcement?" Tanith echoed, looking around the circle as if that would provide her with the answers she needed."</p><p>"Yes. We wanted to talk about the people who were involved with saving the planet from Iago," Zylphia answered, a fond smile on her face as she looked down at Tanith. "I'm talking about you and your companions, Tanith."</p><p>Tanith's face grew warm once again, and she stared down at the ground in nervousness, unable to stand still. "I didn't realize that our accomplishments would be recognized here... Carys proposed that it could happen, but I wasn't sure that it would wind up being the case," she murmured. </p><p>Jin seemed to notice her discomfort and reached into his pocket, pulling out a small toy. There was a bolt at the center, but a circle extended outward from it that could be openly spun. Tanith shot him a thankful glance before accepting it from him, starting to spin at it passively with her air magic. Tanith was awful at sitting still, and she had come to rely on playing with small toys to feel better in situations similar to the one she found herself in then. Jin always kept one on him when he knew he was going to be with his daughter to make sure she was happy. </p><p>"How could we not recognize you here when you killed the man in the first place?" Caius asked. "Everyone deserves to know the truth about what you did. You were facing off against him for months before he finally died, and if not for that knowledge, the war would not have gone in the way that it did. We might not have even won."</p><p>Tanith didn't know how to reply to that, so she instead watched her small toy continue to spin around without end thanks to her magic. She swallowed nervously, unsure of how to respond. "Ah... I don't know what to say. We just did what we had to in order to get rid of him. We wanted the fighting to end just as much as everyone else," she whispered, somehow managing to pull the words together despite how clouded her mind was. </p><p>"You deserve to be recognized. Everyone knows that," Altina remarked. "Don't be worried about it. All of you did a lot to save Millennia from that man, and the least you deserve is to be recognized for your hard work."</p><p>Tanith swallowed nervously before nodding. "Alright... I'll trust you on that," she said softly. She wasn't exactly an expert in public speaking, and she tended to avoid the attention of most people where possible. Outside of her roommates, Nebula, Anneliese, and the teachers of Alitia, she tended to avoid as much social interaction as she could. The idea of everyone from the different schools as well as Millennium City staring at her was terrifying, and she clenched her unoccupied hand into a fist to try and relieve the stress that came with worrying about her oncoming fate. </p><p>"You can handle this," Zylphia assured her, a gentle smile on her face. She didn't do much more than that, but Tanith could feel the appreciation from afar. Tanith returned the grin herself, nodding conclusively to her adopted mother. No matter how scared she was, she would do her best to face it for the sake of her parents. They did enough for her, and it was the least she could do to stand up and accept the praise of the crowd for her deeds during the war. </p><p>"Maybe we should go on and take care of it now. A lot of people are here now, and we should probably get this out of the way before too much longer. People are going to want to socialize, and I don't want to keep that from them," Altina suggested, crossing her arms and closing her eyes. </p><p>"Besides, I might need to get going before too much longer," Caius remarked. </p><p>Minerva frowned. "You're leaving so soon? People are counting on you to be here, Caius. What are you thinking?" he asked. </p><p>Caius shook his head. "I might stay for a bit longer than expected, but... I have a mission to take care of. I've been given an extra job by an unexpected group of individuals, and I don't want them breathing down my neck if I take off tonight and don't find anything. I get the feeling that they're impatient enough as it is," he commented. </p><p>"What is this mission exactly?" Fromir questioned, raising an eyebrow in Caius' direction. </p><p>"We can cover that a bit later. It might be best if I wait to tell you so that you aren't thinking about it the whole time the party is going on. After all, we're meant to be celebrating tonight," Caius replied. "For now, why don't you go and get everyone's attention, Jin? They're counting on you to start this officially since you're the host, and you might as well get the announcement out of the way. Tanith looks like she's going to implode before too much longer, so it might be best to not wait."</p><p>Jin looked down to his daughter, and Tanith shot him an awkward smile. The two laughed for a moment, and the spinning toy in Tanith's hand began to rotate faster than ever before. Jin rustled her hair with one hand before stepping away. "Let's go on and get this out of the way," Jin said. </p><p>He walked away and towards the front of the courtyard of Angelwood. He snapped his fingers, creating a pale blue podium that stretched outward to create a stage beneath it, effectively elevating Jin before the crowd. A small smile appeared on his face as everyone realized that he was there. The visitors all fell silent, waiting for him to speak up to explain why he was standing there all of a sudden. </p><p>Jin took in a deep breath once completely silence reigned over the area. "Welcome, everyone, to Angelwood," he began. His voice had taken on an easy tone that seemed to suck everyone in and force them to pay attention. His magic was based around charming people to do as he pleased, and the people in the crowd weren't immune to it. After all, only one person ever had been, and Zylphia was going to listen to him regardless of the effects of his magic. "I'm glad to see that you have all decided to come by for this celebration to honor the restoration effort of Millennium City and the Millennium Six."</p><p>A few cheers rose up from the crowd, and those who were not eating or holding something clapped their hands. Jin smiled at the gesture, looking around for a moment before taking a deep breath. He waited for everyone to calm down on their own, not having the heart to silence them for himself when this was meant to be a party for everyone to enjoy themselves. </p><p>"This is meant to show how far we have come since the Thanatos War at the end of last year. We have made great strides to returning life to normality since the invasion of Shadows and Iago Thanatos' defeat. I'm proud that our community has managed to come together in such a way that allows us to help each other without caring for what we might get in return. I am honored and humbled to be part of such a loving environment," Jin continued. "I understand that you want to return to the festivities that were taking place before, so I won't keep you for long. However, I wish to thank you all for what you have done to help your brethren. Everyone appreciates it, and I am sure of that."</p><p>Jin took a small breath, looking over to Tanith with a tender, fatherly smile. "Next, I would like to give a round of applause for a group of heroes in particular who have done much to help this land. They were responsible for the fall of Iago Thanatos, and I believe not enough know their names," he went on. "Please come to the stage if you hear your name now: Luce Elenes, Iris Pembroke, Sophia Greeves, Sylvia Loveknot, S.M. Maestre, Helena Palpatine, Carys Palpatine, Tanith Satim, Cessair Lesulla, Anneliese Tiabeanie, and Nebula Denholm!"</p><p>Applause reached Tanith's ears, and she felt her face burning with embarrassment. She looked back to Zylphia, as if waiting for her confirmation that it was alright to go on. Zylphia nodded gently, and Tanith noticed a wide grin of pride on Fromir's face at the mention of his younger sister. Tanith smiled back at Zylphia, the shared glance having given her the confidence she needed to take to the stage. Tanith dashed away, her heart pounding in her chest with a happiness she didn't realize she was capable of. </p><p>She met up with the rest of her companions at the base of the stage, and they all shared a glance. Carys had a smirk on her face that she had been proven right by this announcement, and she gladly took Sophia's hand before dragging her onto stage. The others all took after them, laughing to themselves at the gesture. Tanith took up the rear, taking Helena's hand and squeezing it excitedly before following after the others. </p><p>The eleven girls stood in a row atop the stage off to Jin's left, and he glanced over to them proudly, gesturing one arm towards them, as if proudly showing them off to the crowd. "I have to thank these girls for all that they did to save Millennia from the invasion of the Shadows by killing the man responsible for our struggle. They did a lot during the war, and I believe that they deserve some time of our attention. Can I get a round of applause for them?" he asked. </p><p>The cheers that rose up from the crowd made Tanith flush once again, and she looked down. A squeeze to her hand from Helena made her look up, and she glanced at her friends down the row. They were all glowing from happiness at the gesture. Tanith realized that they were all holding hands as well, using each other as support before the crowd that continued to smile up at them. She grinned madly, knowing there was no way she could ever hope to describe how happy she was in that moment. </p><p>"With that said, I believe it's time for us to get back to the festivities. I promised that I wouldn't take up too much of your time, so feel free to enjoy the food and each other for the rest of the night. Make a few new friends if you want to. We're all in the recovery effort together, and so we should support each other on the way," Jin declared. "Now, let's get back to the fun!"</p><p>More applause rang out from the crowd as the girls stepped off the stage. The blue podium began to disappear once Jin had left it, and the transparent stage vanished as well. Tanith stared at it as it fully went into nothingness, her heart fluttering with joy at seeing such. </p><p>S.M. wrapped her arms around the two nearest people, Carys and Sophia, before pulling them in tight. "Looks like everyone else knows our little secret now," she commented. "Now, how about we go and get some food? We deserve to enjoy ourselves after all that's happened."</p><p>"I'm not going to object," Luce smiled. "Now, how about we go and eat something? This party is meant for us to enjoy ourselves, and it would kind of defeat the purpose if we spent all our time focusing on other things, huh?"</p><p>"That sounds like a plan to me," Carys declared. She removed S.M.'s arm from her shoulder, seemingly in too good of a mood to bother giving the other girl sass for the sudden physical contact. </p><p>Tanith was about to say something, but she was cut off when she felt a pair of arms wrapping around her from behind. The other girls began to walk back to the table, but she didn't mind, preoccupied with the newcomer. She tilted her head back to look at who it was, though she knew without needing to check. "Jin!" she grinned. </p><p>"You did great up there!" Jin smiled, rustling her hair once again. "Have fun with your friends, alright? If you need anything, you can come and talk to me, alright?" </p><p>Tanith nodded. "I will! I'll see you later!" she exclaimed, waving to Jin before dashing off to follow after her friends. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I got cast as part of a Fire Emblem fan dub while working on this and I love everybody in the cast so much already</p><p>-Digital</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. X: Cinders</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>An unexpected arrival halts the celebration at Angelwood.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Alright. I want answers."</p><p>Jin slid into his chair at the table the six head teachers were sharing. Altina was the one who had spoken, and her pointed words were clearly directed at Caius. Jin couldn't help but turn his gaze towards the leath man as well, a small frown on his face. </p><p>"I figured you would be the one to ask me about the mission I've been given," Caius remarked with a small chuckle. "If you really want to know about it, then I'll tell you. However, I need to preface this by saying that it needs to stay a secret. We're still working out the details, and I don't want this information to get out. I trust that you'll keep it secret at my request, but I wanted to make sure."</p><p>"We're the best people when it comes to keeping secrets," Zylphia reminded him. "We know how to hide things better than anyone. What's going on?"</p><p>Caius took in a deep breath before letting out a heavy sigh. "Alright. A few days ago, I was approached by the king and queen of my home planet. They're looking for their daughter who disappeared years ago. I'm sure you remember vaguely what happened back then. Basically, they have reason to believe that she survived the initial incident where she was taken, and I'm supposed to be working to find her," he replied simply. </p><p>"Your home planet... Neo-Yen is the one, right?" Minerva asked, her eyes narrowing suddenly. "I suppose that makes sense... It's all coming together."</p><p>"What are you talking about?" Jin asked, looking back and forth between Minerva and Caius with a small frown. </p><p>"I heard that the Guardians of Neo-Yen were coming. I found it rather odd initially that they were coming for seemingly no reason aside from a 'diplomatic mission'. I heard at first that they were going to try and help Millennia with the restoration effort, but I think I know the real reason why... They're working with Caius to find this lost princess, and they think she has something to do with Millennia," Minerva commented. </p><p>"That would make sense," Fromir nodded to himself. "I shouldn't have expected anything less. It seems as if there's always another reason for things like this."</p><p>"I received word not long before I came here that the signal that set off the Temple of Moonlight on Neo-Yen came from Millennia. That explains it all, huh?" Caius asked. He sighed and shook his head. "I'm going to be collaborating with the two leaders of the Guardians... Well, the leader and her right-hand man."</p><p>"In other words, I'm not going to be able to avoid him," Minerva sighed, rolling her eyes before letting her eyelids slip closed. "I was afraid that would be the case."</p><p>"Him?" Fromir echoed, a small frown forming on his face. "Mind explaining for the rest of us?"</p><p>Minerva nodded slowly. "Sure. It's my younger brother. He's become a Guardian of Neo-Yen. It's better than him being involved with our own home planet, but I still didn't want to run into him again this way," she explained. </p><p>"It's been too long since we've been able to see Leviathan," Jin smiled. "I hope that he's doing well. I know that a lot has happened as of late, but it's good to hear that he's alright."</p><p>"Leviathan has gone out to make something special out of himself. He's undoubtedly going to be dropping by Sacred Heart as soon as he gets here. When are they set to arrive?" Minerva questioned, looking back to Caius. </p><p>"Within the next two days. I was hoping to get a head start by looking around a little tonight before they come," Caius answered. "The signal apparently came from the woods in between Millennium City and Alitia. While everybody's here, I can do some looking around there to investigate anything that might have been left behind."</p><p>"That makes sense," Zylphia murmured. "If you find that you want any help in completing this mission, feel free to ask. That's what we do for each other."</p><p>"I appreciate it," Caius nodded. He closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair for a moment. "I must admit, I'm not going to be ready to leave when the time finally does come to leave. I'm rather enjoying the festivities, even if I didn't expect to when I first came here. I suppose it's nice to kick back and let loose for a little while."</p><p>"You don't have to go. Stay for the night," Altina said bluntly. "If you don't want to go, don't do it. You have an option here, Caius."</p><p>"I'll consider it," Caius remarked with a simple shrug. He reached out a hand to grab his glass before taking a drink of water. He set the cup back down before letting out a sigh. "I hope this search is over sooner rather than later. I don't want it to blow up and cause problems. Last semester was bad enough, and I could really use some peace before the next big battle takes place."</p><p>"You're not the only one," Zylphia remarked. "Unfortunately, the king of Igni is stepping out of line, and he's insisting on causing problems for everyone. As usual, he's unwilling to compromise or admit that he can be wrong about anything. What a frustrating man."</p><p>"You're referring to the attack near Millennium City a few weeks ago, right?" Altina asked. She sighed and shook her head. "I'm hoping that doesn't amount to much either, but I know it will sooner or later. I doubt that he's going to let us off so easily."</p><p>"In that case, all we can do is be ready and give him no reason to keep this up," Minerva answered. "Maybe Caius' investigation will turn up extra secrets that we can shove in his face to get him to back off. If he got heavily involved with Millennia, there would be chaos. After all, he hates leaths more than anything, and the population of Millennia consists of many leaths that he would be happy to stomp on in order to reach his goals."</p><p>"If he does anything stupid like declare war, then we're going to have to go off to battle again. Given how trigger happy he can be at times, it wouldn't surprise me if he did something dumb like that. After all, he has no concept of if things are good or bad for other people. He's so apathetic that he only cares if something helps him and the people who hold him up. Sometimes, the latter group doesn't even get anything that can help them," Zylphia agreed with a nod. "I don't know how we're going to handle this, but we need to find a solution."</p><p>"I somehow doubt that what his accusations ring true. There's no motive, and he seems a bit too desperate to pin it off on her," Minerva commented. "However, I believe that's a discussion for another time. Look at us. Even at a part where we should be enjoying ourselves, we're talking about how much we might wind up suffering in the future. We need to cut that out and try to have fun."</p><p>Fromir let out a laugh. "As much as I hate to admit it, Minerva has a point. Maybe we should leave the subject where it is for now and get back to it later on when we aren't at a party," he suggested before rising to his feet. He stretched his arms above his head before letting out a small sigh. "Let's go enjoy ourselves, okay?"</p><p>None of the other head teachers objected to his suggestion, and they rose to their feet a few seconds later. The six all scattered to head in different directions, trying to banish thoughts of Igni and the Alight Five as soon as possible. It wasn't working all that well, but it was the attempt that mattered. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Luce flopped down in her seat in between Sylvia and Nebula. She wrapped her arms around the back of their chairs before sighing and looking up at the sky. The sun was slowly setting, and stars were beginning to dot the sky. A light smile graced her lips. "Tonight really is going a lot better than I expected," she admitted. "Part of me was freaking out and worried that things were going to go wrong, but it seems everything is going to be fine."</p><p>"We deserve to finally have some fun!" Cessair exclaimed. "Honestly, I'm glad that we were recognized... I was pretty embarrassed to be called up there and stuff, but... It felt good to know that everybody appreciated what we did during the previous battles."</p><p>"I told you that we were going to be recognized!" Carys chirped. "It's only natural that they would call upon us given all that we did. Now, let's have fun already! This is a party, so we can't just sit around doing nothing. After we're finished eating, we should get out there and dance!"</p><p>Before anyone had a chance to object, Carys reached out her arm towards Iris. The latter had just finished eating a cupcake and was dabbing at her mouth with a napkin. Upon being roughly dragged by Carys, Iris dropped the napkin, a gasp of surprise leaving her lips. </p><p>Luce watched as Carys pulled Iris away from the tables and towards the open space where the stage had once been. Music was echoing through the area, and a few people were talking in the available area. Carys let out a small snort before looking up at Iris once they were facing each other in an optimal position to start dancing together. "Don't tell me that you don't know how to do this," Carys said. </p><p>Iris was far too flustered to say anything, She followed Carys' lead as the shorter girl began to eagerly drag her into a small dance. Luce couldn't help but laugh at the perplexed and terrified expression on Iris' face, and she lifted a hand to her mouth to ensure that her friend didn't see how hilarious she found this. </p><p>"I never would have taken Iris for the dancing type," Nebula admitted. </p><p>"She's not. In fact, she's infamously clumsy back home, and she's never been good at dancing. She can handle a rapier like no other, but the second you put her on a dance floor, she starts tripping over her feet until she can barely stand," Anneliese replied with a small laugh. "I know that Carys enjoys the spotlight and such, but dancing with Iris... Let's just say that she's going to realize that isn't the way to show off."</p><p>"Carys has always been a sucker for this stuff. I suppose it's because she was always really good at it when we were growing up," Helena commented. "She probably thought Iris would go along without objecting. She's right in assuming such, but if what Anneliese says is to be believed, it isn't going to end well for her."</p><p>Luce rose to her feet and let out a small snicker. "Maybe we should go over there so that they aren't alone. I get the feeling Sophia is going to need to heal any bruises that might appear on Carys' feet after this is over," she remarked. She continued to watch Carys and Iris from afar, and she noticed that Carys had somehow sweet talked the other girl into dipping her. Iris managed to keep a grip on her, but once Carys rose back to her full height and the two began dancing once again, Iris' shoe slammed into Carys' toes. The ice enchantress hissed in pain, and Luce could tell by the shape of her lips that she was saying something vulgar. </p><p>"I'm just glad that Iris isn't wearing heels. That would undoubtedly make this worse," Tanith remarked with a small yet nervous laugh. She dashed over to where the two girls were dancing, and the rest of the group trailed after her. Luce took up the rear, shaking her head at Carys' lack of foresight. </p><p>Sophia leaned over and waved her hands above Carys' feet. The shorter girl had elected to wear open-toed shoes to enjoy the nice weather of the night, though she was starting to regret it already thanks to Iris' clumsiness. </p><p>"I hope that helps," Sophia said once she stood back up. </p><p>"Thank you," Carys sighed, looking up to Iris. "I knew that you could be a bit clumsy, but I didn't know that it got that bad."</p><p>"You're lucky you weren't there when we tried to teach Iris to dance a few years ago," Anneliese laughed. "I could barely walk for three days, and that was just after the first lesson!"</p><p>"Sorry about this, Carys," Iris said sheepishly, pink creeping up in her cheeks. "I would have been able to tell you about this if you had waited a moment, but... You seemed so excited. It's rare to see you so bright and happy, you know?"</p><p>Carys frowned. "This is what I get for being bold... Maybe I should just stop that," she grumbled. "My toes could have been broken so easily."</p><p>"Please don't go back to the way you were before," S.M. said bluntly. "We all like being around you more when you aren't being overly critical and sarcastic."</p><p>Carys huffed before turning away. "I believe that you can be even more critical and sarcastic, S.M., but I digress. We shouldn't be fighting right now when this is a party. The arguing can be saved for later," she murmured. </p><p>S.M. opened her mouth to respond, but she was cut off when Tanith let out a small gasp. All eyes turned to the air enchantress as she spoke quietly. "Did... Did you guys hear that? I could have sworn that I heard something," she whispered.</p><p>Luce glanced around to see what could have been responsible for the sound Tanith heard. Luce hadn't picked up on anything herself, but Tanith's air magic seemed to make it easier to hear things, so she trusted her companion's judgement.</p><p>Sylvia let out a gasp, tugging on Luce's sleeve as she pointed up to the roof of Angelwood. It took a moment for Luce to find what Sylvia was indicated, and her shoulders went tense as soon as she realized who it was. </p><p>"That looks like..." Helena whispered, her hands clapping over her mouth as she stared up at the new arrival. </p><p>"River Scorn," S.M. growled, her hands clenching into fists. "All we wanted was one night. One Starlight-forsaken night! Apparently, we can't even have that!"</p><p>"Maybe they won't attack us... Maybe they're just here to watch us," Cessair remarked, though it was clear that her voice was already shaking. She knew as well as the others did that this was going to result in a battle. Even if River was just watching, that was inherently problematic given that they were bound to report back to the rest of the Alight Five and the king of Igni. They were going to have to defend themselves no matter how much they wanted to ignore the intrusion.</p><p>Luce drew her knife and sunk into a defensive position. She looked over to Tanith. "You should go and tell the head teachers that River is coming to attack us," she suggested. </p><p>Tanith nodded. "Of course," she replied. She quickly turned on her heel and then dashed away, leaving the rest of the group behind. Nebula looked in between Tanith and the rest of the group before following Tanith over to where the head teachers were standing. After splitting up, they had come back together. </p><p>"We just wanted one night," Carys murmured, shaking her head. She closed her eyes, and pale blue light surrounded her as she shifted into her Isolis form. Her gaze never shifted away from River, and upon closer examination, Luce realized that River was transformed as well. </p><p>With so many people around, maybe River would be easier to defeat. After all, there wouldn't be an issue of power imbalance if many students from the various schools and Millennium City were around to match the power of River's Inlustris. Luce prayed that at least someone joined in on the fight to make it easier to take them down. </p><p>"Maybe we should try to take River away from the main party. Imagine the chaos that could be caused by letting them stay here. Many people could very easily get hurt, and I don't want to put anybody at risk unnecessarily," Sophia suggested. "With the help of the head teachers, we should be able to take care of them. The members of the Starlight Camaraderie don't fall easily, and they'll do what they have to in order to keep everyone here at the party safe."</p><p>"My main concern is if River will take the bait. If their goal is to cause chaos and take us out in the mess, then they aren't going to want to step away from the rest of the party," S.M. pointed out. "We'll need to be careful about how we manage this, to put it simply."</p><p>"We're going to have to go on the defensive first," Sylvia said next. "After all, nobody here is aware that River is here with intentions of attacking us, so they're not going to try and fight back. We should try to keep the general population safe until we can start fighting officially."</p><p>"Damage control, in other words," Helena murmured with a small nod. She glanced nervously over to where the head teachers were standing alongside Tanith and Nebula. It was easy to see that the conversation they were sharing was tense and heavy. "I just hope that they're able to come back to us and help take care of this sooner rather than later... What if they attack before they're ready to help us out?"</p><p>Luce opened her mouth to reply, but she was never able to force the words out of her lips. Her eyes went wide when River raised their arms above their head, and the deep blue sky began to turn into a tempestuous red. A small swear left Luce's lips as clouds began to form of a deep gray color, and thunder echoed in the distance. </p><p>The assault was starting. </p><p>The sky began to rain delicate pieces of ash, and Luce felt one land on her arm. She hissed at the pain, and blew it away, realizing that a small burn was left behind. She closed her eyes and transformed into her Isolis form, glancing around madly as she tried to figure out a way to hide the crowd from the ash raining down from the sky. </p><p>People were starting to notice what was happening now, and a few cries could be heard distantly from the crowd as ash landed on more people. There was no way to hide this attack from everyone anymore. River was getting exactly what they wanted. </p><p>A sudden fog of pale blue energy covered the area, and Luce gasped before realizing that the magic was being summoned by none other than Carys. She had her hands held above her hands, and she was creating a shield of ice above the crowd. The ash that landed on the shield was quickly dissipated, leaving all the people under it safe from the dark speckles raining from above. </p><p>"Great going, Carys!" Cessair chirped, a smile appearing on her face. "We should try and get everybody away from here. I doubt they'll try to pursue everyone since they don't have a problem with the crowd."</p><p>A few other flashes of light erupted from nearby, and Luce realized that the rest of the group had transformed nearby. She smiled to herself before turning her attention back towards the sky. River seemed to be completely unaffected by the fiery magic spiraling from the clouds, and an idea sprung to Luce's mouth. She let out a gasp as she turned to the rest of the group. "I just realized something," she murmured. </p><p>"What is it?" Sophia asked. She was looking around for an easy way to get rid of the rest of the crowd, but her attempts were winding up to be rather unsuccessful. </p><p>"River is immune to their own magic. I remember hearing once that mages are inherently immune to power of their given element," Luce explained. "That's why the Possession Master wasn't at all affected by the power of a Moonlight Blessing last time we fought against him."</p><p>"You're saying that those of the fire element should be able to fight River without any issues, right?" Helena asked, a small smile appearing on her face. </p><p>"That should be the case. That would allow you, S.M., and Headmistress Claudere the chance to head up there and defeat River while the rest of us work on getting the crowd out of here," Luce replied. She looked over to where Tanith and Nebula were standing with the head teachers, and she realized that all of them had transformed since the attack had begun. In other words, it was on. </p><p>"How are we going to get the crowd out here? If Carys' shield breaks, then we won't be able to keep anyone safe from this attack," Sylvia remarked with a small frown. </p><p>"I should be able to cover the full area where the ash is coming down. That would allow people to sneak out if they leave in the right place along the edges," Carys replied. "I don't know how long I'll be able to keep it up though. I may be a magical prodigy, but this is highly unstable Inlustris magic."</p><p>"In other words, there's only so long that you can keep up the shield, and once it falls, we're going to be in a lot of trouble. Those who are immune to the magic are going to have to fight as much as possible until the shield falls," Iris remarked. She turned her attention over to the head teachers, a gasp leaving her lips. "It seems as if the rest of them have realized it as well."</p><p>Jin had his hands cupped around his mouth, and it was clear that a spell was being used to make his voice sound louder than it actually was. "All mages with fire-based magic are suggested to stay and help us minimize damages here. Those who are not inherently immune to the ash must evacuate the premises as soon as possible. Please be careful regardless of what you are doing, and do not fight unless you have immunity," he declared. </p><p>All hell seemed to break loose at Jin's statements. Many began to scream and holler as they tried to get as far away from Angelwood as soon as possible. Even the students of Angelwood were evacuating. Jin and Caius dashed away from the other head teachers to guide the students away from Angelwood, trying to keep everything somewhat orderly. It was much easier said than done to keep chaos to a minimum though, and the noise was already starting to bother Luce. She felt bad for any leaths who may have had a manifestation related to an increased sense of listening, as their ears must have been on the verge of exploding given all the sound. </p><p>Helena and S.M. were the first two to curl around the shield to go and get closer to River. Minerva followed in their footsteps a few seconds later. Fromir began to try and guide others away from the school as well, though it was clear that his voice was barely being heard above the impenetrable din of the crowd. Zylphia and Altina were flying above everyone else, trying to keep the rest of the group from panicking too much, though their efforts appeared to be in vain. </p><p>"Hey! Luce!"</p><p>Luce turned upon hearing her name, and she realized that another familiar figure was walking towards her. A gasp left her lips, and a smile broke out on her face. "Mina!" she exclaimed, dashing over to where S.M.'s older sister was. "What are you doing here?"</p><p>"I was here for the party, silly," Mina replied. She looked up to where River was standing on the roof and sighed. "Of course this has to be interrupted somehow... And that looks like a member of the Alight Five too. Well, I have fire magic, so I might as well use it somehow. Besides, if S.M. is out there, I'll have to go and make sure that she's kept safe." A flash of light enveloped Mina, and when it faded, she was transformed. "I'll see you in a little while. Don't put yourself in danger, okay?"</p><p>Mina didn't wait for a response, instead kicking off the ground and flying off into the air. She curled around the shield and joined the battle against River taking place above the icy dome Carys had summoned. Luce tried to keep an eye on Mina, but she lost sight of her in the crowd of fire mages swarming above the shield. Alistair was up there as well, though Luce lost sight of him a few seconds after he levitated past. </p><p>"I don't know if we're going to be able to stay here with all of the crowds," Cessair frowned. "We're going to be surrounded any moment now with people trying to get out of here, and if Carys' concentration is broken, then the shield is going to come down, and we'll really be in trouble when that happens."</p><p>Luce nodded and snapped her fingers. A ring of light magic appeared around the group, and it transformed into a column that boosted them off the ground and into the air. "That should keep us from getting swept away by the crowd," she said before turning her attention back to the sky. "I hope everyone's doing alright up there."</p><p>S.M. was the first one to move towards River. The ash falling on her arms felt like little more than a light rain given her immunity, and she fully used it to her advantage, diving directly at the mage responsible for all this trouble. Fire formed at her hand, and she tried to punch River's face. </p><p>River stepped backwards, though it was clearly more of a stumble than anything else. The fire had come close to gracing her face, but it didn't seem to have much of an impact at all. A swear left S.M.'s lips as she realized there was a gaping flaw in Luce's plan. </p><p>The fire mages might have been immune to River's magic, but they would be immune to those fighting against them as well. It would take physical strength or some other magical power in order to win this fight. </p><p>In other words, she was going to have to take care of this. S.M.'s magic was a blend of earth and fire, and she could use them either combined or interchangeably. If she focused heavily on using her earth magic against River, she would likely be able to at least do some damage, though due to the large disparity in power between Inlustris and Isolis, S.M. was going to have to count on the help of another if she was going to pull this off. </p><p>River attempted to unleash an attack against S.M., but it didn't wind up touching her. Even if it danced past S.M.'s stomach, she felt the heat of the ash. S.M. was less impacted by fire magic than others were, but since her power was nowhere near as strong as River's, she was definitely going to feel the pain if one of those hit her. The ash falling from the sky was small enough to not hurt too much, but a large blast would certainly hurt. </p><p>S.M. stomped her foot against the roof of Angelwood, and the ground began to tremble. River swayed for a moment before going up into the sky to avoid the shaking ground. S.M. growled at the sight and clapped her hands together, pulling a small crop of rocky land from the nearby ground and letting it surround her after it split off into many tinier pieces. The jagged pieces of earth formed a ring around S.M.'s body, and with a triumphant point forward, the earth began to slash at River. </p><p>River tried to dodge the hits, but their attempts were futile, and their skin was ripped open in many places. Blood began to fall down onto Carys' ice shield down below, freezing on impact. River whimpered in pain, tears forming at the edges of their eyes as they glared weakly up at S.M. in a dulled rage. </p><p>Suddenly, a sword slashed through the air to the side of River.</p><p>They managed to dodge the attack at the last minute, but it still caught S.M. by surprise. She looked to see who it had come from, and she was met by the hardened gaze of Minerva. Another slash followed up the first attack closely, and the edges of Minerva's hair caught fire soon afterwards. "You've made quite the mistake by coming here," Minerva snarled at River. </p><p>S.M. was so surprised by Minerva's arrival that she didn't even realize that the headmistress of Sacred Heart had transformed at first. However, the change of outfit became clear soon afterwards, and a gasp left S.M.'s lips when she realized one key feature stuck out like a sore thumb about Minerva. </p><p>She didn't have any wings. </p><p>Minerva didn't seem bothered at all by this, instead focusing her attacks only on River. S.M. snapped out of her daze soon afterwards and began to attack River once again using her jagged stones. She did her best to keep as much dominion over them as possible so that she didn't have to waste much time replenishing her stock once again. </p><p>Something about the fight felt odd to her, and S.M. suddenly felt an odd warm sensation on her lower stomach. She couldn't have been hit by one of River's attacks. They hadn't thrown out any new ones since Minerva had arrived since the fight had grown rather intense. If so, what the hell was she feeling?</p><p>S.M. risked a glance downwards, and she gasped upon realizing that she was glowing. </p><p>What the <em>hell</em> was going on?</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I missed writing Alitia fight scenes you have no idea</p><p>-Digital</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. XI: Sealed</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>S.M. shares a startling moment with Minerva after an odd marking appears on her skin.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>S.M. somehow managed to tear her eyes away from the glowing segment of her torso. She jumped towards River, using her earthen powers to lash out at the Alight Five member. The jagged stones cut into the skin of her foe, and River groaned in pain at the excessive contact. </p><p>Minerva managed to get in a slash to River's side, cutting open their arm when they went to guard their torso. River screamed in agony, looking down at the wound with an expression that could only be surprised as shocked. They looked up to Minerva, searching for a trace of mercy in her eyes, but they found nothing in response. </p><p>River let out another yell, and the ash falling from the sky began to grow heavier. The first new flake hit S.M., and while it was huge, it didn't seem to bother her at all. She stared at the place where it made contact with her skin, surprised at how it wasn't bothering her in the slightest. She looked around to see if the other fighters were being hurt, and it seemed clear that they were. </p><p>What made her so special then?</p><p>The ash was becoming so heavy that it could barely be seen through, and S.M. tried to look around and tell what was going on. The light that had blossomed on her torso made it easier for her to see what was around her, but there was still a bit of a struggle. She groaned in frustration, but she heard another yell from River soon afterwards. </p><p>Back on the ground, Carys was struggling to keep up the shield of ice under the increased weight of the ash. She groaned, sweat beading on her forehead. Sylvia pressed a hand to her arm, and while Carys flinched at the contact at first, she calmed down when she realized that Sylvia was giving her magical energy to fuel the shield. Carys gave Sylvia nod of thanks before focusing her attention to sustaining the barrier once again. </p><p>Meanwhile, River appeared before S.M., a look of sadness on their face. "I didn't want to have to do this," they admitted softly. "The king... Do you have any idea what he'll do if we mess this up...? It's a matter of life and death..."</p><p>S.M. frowned, watching as traces of ash blew around them both. Her hands clenched into fists. "That doesn't give you the right to attack so many innocent people. I'm not going to be giving into his will no matter what happens, so you're just going to have to deal with that," S.M. snarled with a firm shake of her head. </p><p>"You sure are insistent on not giving in," River sighed, a frown on their face. "I don't want to do this, but... You aren't giving me a choice here."</p><p>"I was never going to give you a choice. There are no options here when he's going to kill me should I be taken in. I'd much rather stay alive, you know?" S.M. scoffed, rolling her eyes. </p><p>River looked away from her before holding out one hand, sending out a blast of darkened magic in the direction of her target. It was large and thick enough that S.M. wouldn't be able to get out of the way in time, so she attempted to throw up a small shield to divert at least some of the strength of the attack. Minerva was nowhere to be seen, so she would have to pull herself out of this situation. </p><p>However, S.M. found that she didn't need to do such a thing at the last minute. </p><p>The glow from her torso had defined itself into an orange color that stuck out firmly against the ashen attack. The light forged a shield that surrounded S.M. quickly, and when River reached out to touch a fraction of the light that split off from the rest of the bubble, they hissed in pain. They looked down at their hand to see that their skin had been cut horribly by the contact. </p><p>S.M. looked back and forth between River and the glow on her skin. The orange was starting to form something akin to a pattern, and in a way, it looked like a constellation. However, S.M. had never bothered to spend time recognizing constellations, so she ignored the pattern and looked up to River. </p><p>The forming of the mark was sending power rushing through her, as if nothing could touch her all of a sudden. S.M. charged forward at River as soon as she had the ability to do so, and River was caught off guard by the attack. The ash grew thicker once again as they screamed in pain, and they were nearly knocked out of the air. A blast of earthen magic from S.M. sent River sprawling onto the roof of a nearby building. River slid backwards before coming to a halt, not moving an inch. </p><p>S.M. hesitated for a moment before flying over to where River was located, a small frown on her face. She held up one hand in a defensive stance in case the enemy general tried anything, but it turned out that her preparation was for nothing when River didn't lash out. </p><p>Instead, they disappeared in a small puff of smoke, and S.M. huffed angrily upon realizing that they were gone. "Damn," she whispered, starting to look around the area for any traces of other figures. </p><p>A person appeared to S.M. through the thick ash, and she realized that it was Minerva thanks to the flames at the edges of her hair breaking through the heavy clouds. The flames died down when Minerva saw the younger girl, and a sigh left her lips. "I'm glad to see that you're still alive," she murmured. </p><p>Minerva's gaze dropped from S.M.'s eyes to the marking that had appeared on her torso, and she suddenly grew rather tense. "Holy..." The sentence was left unfinished as Minerva crouched down to examine the symbol, gracing her fingers along S.M.'s torso gently. When she was satisfied, she rose to her feet once again, and in a shower of orange light, she returned to her regular form, Inlustris wearing off. </p><p>S.M. waited for a moment for Minerva to say something, anything, else, but she was met with only silence. Growing impatient, she frowned. "What are you talking about? What the hell is this mark supposed to be?" she asked. She immediately regretted swearing at one of the head teachers of the Millennium Six, but she didn't have time to say anything similar to an apology about it. </p><p>Minerva turned around to show her upper shoulder. On the back of her left shoulderblade, the same marking could be seen carved into her skin. Once she was sure S.M. had gotten a good look at it, Minerva moved her clothing so that the mark was covered once again. "You can't tell a soul about this," she whispered. "Zylphia will explain everything that you need to know, but... Let's just say this is a sign of things to come for better or worse."</p><p>"What are you talking about?" S.M. asked, her voice only growing more intense in her nervousness. The ash around them was beginning to clear, and S.M. risked a glance to her side. She saw that the other fire mages that had been involved with the fight were becoming clearer. A few of the less experienced fighters had burns on their bodies, but S.M. was for some reason untouched. She looked down at her hands, still not comprehending what was happening. </p><p>"Let's just say that your fate has been Sealed," Minerva replied bluntly. "You'll get more information from Zylphia. For now, let's get you back down there. We need to deal with damage control."</p><p>S.M. opened her mouth to say something, but she was unable to get a word out before Minerva kicked off the ground and jumped towards the courtyard. S.M. sighed, left alone on the roof of Angelwood, before letting her wings raise her into the air. Her adrenaline rush was wearing off, but she felt stronger than she ever had before. Even the rush that came with earning her Isolis for the first time did nothing to compare to this. It was as if she was walking on air merely by existing. </p><p>Once the ash was out of the air and had been destroyed on Carys' shield of ice, the enchantress lowered her arm. She groaned in pain, rubbing at her shoulder. "That hurt," she grumbled. "I officially don't like that River person. Why in the world would they use so much power on this? I can't stand it."</p><p>Helena landed nearby, limping over to the group. The increased intensity of the ash had turned out to be too much for her, and she practically collapsed into a sitting position on the ground once she was close enough to the rest of her friends. "Ow," she said simply. Helena could barely move a hand to tend to her wounds, so she stared blankly at the ground, her breathing labored. </p><p>Sophia walked over to Helena, pressing her hands against the other girl's skin. Helena hissed at the contact, but she relaxed into it as the healing magic spread throughout her body. When Sophia was finished, Helena sighed in relief, mustering a small smile to shoot in Sophia's direction. "Thanks," she murmured. </p><p>S.M. walked over to where the rest of the group was standing, a small frown on her face. "Are you all okay?" she asked. </p><p>"We're fine," Luce answered. She had transformed back to normal when the ash had begun to clear. She approached S.M., noticing the mark on her torso. "What in the world is that?"</p><p>S.M. shrugged. "I have no clue. I asked Headmistress Claudere about it, and she just told me that Headmistress Satim would explain when the time was right. She said something about my fate being Sealed, but I don't know what that could possibly mean," she frowned. </p><p>Tanith slowly made her way over to where the rest of the girls were located. She noticed the mark on S.M.'s stomach and tilted her head to one side. "You know, that symbol does look rather familiar," she whispered. She got down onto her knees a few seconds later, looking at the marking with an inquisitive gaze. "Ah! I know what this is!"</p><p>S.M. felt her heart leap with relief at those words. "Thank Starlight. What does it mean? I'm praying to every god out there that this isn't a bad sign or something," she remarked. </p><p>"It's a constellation pattern. To be more specific, it's the sign of Scorpio," Tanith answered. "It's one of twelve constellations known as part of the zodiac. I don't know why it would appear on you though..."</p><p>S.M. sighed and shook her head. "Somehow, that makes it both better and worse. You know what the symbol is, but you don't know why it's there," she mumbled. "I suppose I'll just have to ask your mom about it when she's available to talk to us. That's what Headmistress Claudere seemed to think would be for the best."</p><p>"I doubt she'll be able to talk to us for quite some time. Look at this place. I imagine that she'll have to stay around to restore the damages caused by that ash rain," Luce frowned, crossing her arms. </p><p>"Should we go back to Alitia then? I get the feeling Helena needs some rest," Sylvia suggested. </p><p>"Hey!"</p><p>The group turned upon hearing a voice from nearby. Mina ran into view, a frown on her face. "S.M., are you okay?" she asked, looking her sister up and down in concern. "You didn't get hurt in that fight or anything, did you? I saw you one second, but then you were..." Mina's gaze dropped to the sign on S.M.'s stomach, and she looked up to her sister in a blend of confusion and fear. "What the hell happened up there?"</p><p>"I wish I could tell you," S.M. replied with a loose shrug. "I'm not burned at all, but Helena got hurt really badly up there. She has more fire magic than I do, so it should have been the other way around, but... Then there was that orange light."</p><p>"I don't know what happened, but you had better not scare me like that again, alright?" Mina asked, looking at her sister with a worried gaze. "I don't know what I would do with myself if you got hurt."</p><p>"I'll be fine, Mina," S.M. assured her sister, taking her hand gently. "You don't need to worry about me."</p><p>Mina nodded hesitantly. "If you insist... Let's get back to Alitia. I don't want to be here longer than we already have," she said softly. </p><p>"Not so fast."</p><p>Zylphia approached the group from behind, a frown on her face. "We have something important to discuss," Zylphia declared. "S.M., can I speak with you?"</p><p>"Of course," S.M. replied. She looked to Mina nervously before taking a step away from her sister. </p><p>"I want to stay too," Mina said firmly, crossing her arms stubbornly. </p><p>"I'm afraid that this business is meant to stay expressly between me and these girls here. Go back to Alitia, Mina," Zylphia told her. </p><p>Mina sighed. She clearly wanted to put up a fight, but Zylphia was not one to be argued with. "Be careful," Mina told S.M. simply before turning on her heel and walking away, beginning the journey back to Alitia. </p><p>"What about the rest of us?" Luce asked. "Do you only want to see S.M., or should the rest of us stick around for this too?"</p><p>Zylphia pondered her next choice carefully. "I want to see the members of your dorm. Cessair, Nebula, and Anneliese can go back to their schools now," she replied eventually. "Now, let's get going. This is an important discussion that can't wait any longer."</p><p>Zylphia gestured for the girls to come closer, and they all did so. Helena had to lean on Sophia in order to make it over there, still weak from the ashen rain. When the nine figures were all gathered together, Zylphia clapped her hands, and a rift appeared beneath them that pulled them inside. </p><p>When S.M. next opened her eyes, she realized that she was in Zylphia's office back at Alitia. The others were there as well. They had all transformed back to normal by then,  but S.M.'s Isolis remained present. She frowned, feeling as if she stuck out like a sore thumb among them. </p><p>"Take a seat," Zylphia instructed the girls, gesturing to the chairs set up nearby. "We need to talk about something important... I wasn't sure that this would ever become a point of discussion, but it seems as if things have changed. This is something that you must keep to yourselves unless someone else must be involved with it. There is a small circle that is allowed to be made aware of the truth, and if it spreads to anyone else, there could easily be a struggle for power that you would be caught at the center of. That's hardly a way to spend your teen years, wouldn't you agree?"</p><p>"What are you talking about?" Luce asked, narrowing her eyes. "What in the world is that mark? Why is it there, and why did it just show up now?"</p><p>"I'm afraid that we have seen a Sealing," Zylphia frowned. </p><p>"What's a Sealing?" Carys questioned with an intense frown. "I don't understand."</p><p>"It's a unique magical process. Legend has it that those who fight along the Keepers of Starlight and Moonlight wind up with their own unique types of marks. They're different from Blessings in the way that they appear on their own. After the Sealed Ones show themselves to be worthy as fighters alongside the Keepers, they gain a mark," Zylphia explained. </p><p>"Why haven't we ever heard about this? You would expect someone to tell others about this type of raw power," Tanith remarked. She paused before the truth dawned on her. "I understand. This sort of magical boost... It would be sought after by many people, and if they tried to get this kind of power, many people would be put in danger."</p><p>"Exactly. All the Sealed Ones have been sworn to secrecy to keep this sort of power from being spoken about openly," Zylphia replied. "Perhaps I should start from the very beginning. This full tale is a lengthy one, but I must ask that you listen to everything I have to say on the matter."</p><p>The group was silent at first, but S.M. broke through the thick quiet with a sigh. "Alright. Tell us," she said bluntly. </p><p>"Back in the days when Starlight and Moonlight themselves were still alive, they lived on Earth. The history of the universe is widely known. They existed there for quite some time before creating our universe as a way of allowing magical creatures to thrive without discrimination from those who believed us to be unsettling and inhuman," Zylphia began. "Since they both derived their powers from the cosmos, they grew rather attached to the starry sky back on Earth, and while it shifted when they arrived in this universe, they still documented tales of the sky they grew up looking at."</p><p>"Basically, they idolized the sky, and that has something to do with what's going on now?" Iris questioned, tilting her head to one side. </p><p>"There were many fighters who sided with them as the different worlds of the universe were constructed. There was an elite force of ten who, alongside Starlight and Moonlight themselves, were given the marks of the twelve constellations of the zodiac. This came with a boost in power. They came to be known as the Sealed Ones due to the process being known as Sealing. Others have called them Heroes of the Stars, though I believe that the names can be used interchangeably," Zylphia went on. "All Keepers after them also found companions that could be trusted with immense power, and the Sealed Ones returned generation after generation in the form of new fighters."</p><p>"So... The Sealed Ones have markings based off these significant constellations to match with the cosmic magic of Starlight and Moonlight," Luce murmured with a small nod. "And all of this means that... S.M. has become one of them. But how is this possible?"</p><p>Zylphia hesitated. "In all honesty, I didn't think I would have to tell you about this in the first place. In the past, only Keepers and their confidants have had such markings... However, I suppose that this is a first in history anyways. After all, Luce is the first one to be born with Starlight magic genetically without being a Keeper. Perhaps the gods still consider her to be close enough to a Keeper, so it was one of her companions that wound up marked," she replied. "That's my theory anyways. I don't know for sure. This has never happened before."</p><p>"The short version is that S.M. has been made part of this group of powerful mages known as Sealed Ones because Luce is sort of a Keeper," Sylvia whispered. "That's ridiculous and crazy, but I suppose that I'm not too surprised by it... I mean, I would say that weirder things have happened."</p><p>"That's what we suspect at this point," Zylphia answered. "As for the real answer... I suppose only time will tell if this theory is correct. But until then, I wanted to tell you what we are aware of at the moment. After all, given how you all fought together in the previous war against Iago... Perhaps you'll all wind up as part of this group."</p><p>"I just realized something," Tanith suddenly said. "Luce has Starlight since she's the daughter of the previous Keeper... But there is no such parallel for Moonlight. Does that mean that we'll be part of the first generation of Sealed Ones where there's no representative of Moonlight?"</p><p>Zylphia sighed and shook her head. "I'm afraid not. The previous generation... The one that I am part of... There is no Keeper of Moonlight in our party," she murmured. "The one requirement to wind up as part of the Sealed Ones aside from connecting with a bearer of Starlight and Moonlight is to dedicate yourself to the betterment of the world. Essentially, the purity of your intentions is placed on display to be judged by the gods themselves."</p><p>"That's rather intense..." Sophia whispered, her eyes wide. "The previous keeper of Moonlight... He failed that test, didn't he?"</p><p>Zylphia nodded. "He did, as a matter of fact. He never wound up as part of the Sealed Ones. In fact, our generation... It's somewhat incomplete. Our group is only of eight and not of twelve. The betrayal of Ragnor Malefician and the subsequent War of Starlight caused the party to grow smaller, and we still do not have our remaining members. In a way, we've given up on finding them. Perhaps Starlight and Moonlight simply didn't wish for our group to be completed. That's their choice," she said softly. "The point is that I didn't expect this. Nobody could have seen it coming."</p><p>"Nobody even realized that it was possible," Helena mumbled. "And yet, S.M. still wound up as the first of us to prove herself to Starlight and Moonlight."</p><p>"I definitely feel stronger than before, but... Wow. I didn't realize there was a history like that behind it," S.M. admitted. </p><p>"I assume that it's the Starlight Camaraderie that forms the group then," Sylvia said. "I mean, there's eight of you."</p><p>Luce's eyes went wide. "Wait... You mean that my father was part of this the entire time, and I didn't know about it?" she asked. </p><p>Zylphia nodded. "We were instructed to never tell a soul about it. High-ranking priests from the Church of Starlight explained it to us when we became Sealed Ones years ago. We were told to never speak of it to others unless we had to. I didn't think I would ever need to discuss it, but if one of you has been Sealed... I'd say that's a good enough reason," she remarked. </p><p>"The Church of Starlight... That's on Amity, right?" Tanith questioned. "I assume you mean the most significant church that serves Starlight. That's where all of the Keepers of Starlight are raised."</p><p>"Exactly... One of these days, you might wind up having to go there, but I think that we should keep this secret for now," Zylphia replied. "I don't want to involve the people there. It would only be a recipe for more chaos given that enough is happening already."</p><p>"Yeah, I would also very much like to avoid any other sources of chaos for the time being," Luce sighed with a shake of her head. "I think I understand the basic point of it... But I do have to ask... Who all knows about this stuff?"</p><p>"You girls are now aware of the truth, and the Starlight Camaraderie knows. Aside from that, nobody should know about it... Well, maybe the current Keeper of Moonlight, in all their secrecy, is aware as well. That's another reason that we need this to stay as secret as possible. The Keeper of Moonlight could wind up causing more problems," Zylphia answered. </p><p>S.M. felt her hands clench into fists involuntarily. "They had the audacity to give Iago another Moonlight Blessing when they knew that he would wage war against Millennia and attempt to take countless innocent lives. I don't understand how they can live with themselves... If they heard that we were the new Sealed Ones, I assume that they would wind up coming after us," she remarked. </p><p>"Exactly. That's why you can't tell anyone about this unless you absolutely have to. We use spells to hide our marks most of the time and ensure that nobody finds the truth. The spell we cast is much stronger than the one used on Luce to hide her marks of Starlight and Moonlight for a long time. Nobody can see it, no matter what Blessing they do or do not have," Zylphia said. </p><p>"Headmistress Claudere showed me that she had a mark like mine on the back of her shoulder," S.M. commented. "Did she use magic to reveal it to me in that moment?"</p><p>"She did, as a matter of fact," Zylphia nodded. "We can't have anyone seeing these marks in plain sight and wondering what they mean. Yours is in plain sight whenever you transform, so I'm going to hide it." Zylphia waved her hand through the air, and with the help of a dull teal light, the orange symbol on S.M.'s skin faded until it was fully gone. </p><p>"What are we supposed to do about it now?" Helena questioned, her voice trembling slightly. "River might know about what happened, and if the news of that spreads too far..."</p><p>"I doubt that River understood what it meant... In fact, very few people have ever seen a Sealing take place. Most of them wound up becoming Sealed Ones in the process. I doubt that they know what happened fully, and even if they did know, there's so little information about it that barely anyone will be able to put the pieces together. We should be fine," Zylphia assured her. </p><p>"I have one more question," Tanith piped in. "You stated that each of the Sealed Ones has a symbol based off the twelve signs of the zodiac from Earth. Which of these signs do each of the members of the Starlight Camaraderie represent?"</p><p>"Minerva is Scorpio alongside S.M., so they're parallel in that sense. Cryon is Capricorn. Jin is Leo. Fromir has the sign of Aquarius. Caius is Sagittarius. Altina is the Gemini. I have the power of Virgo, and Dawn is the bearer of Tauros," Zylphia replied. "I don't know what will happen with you all, but... I'm sure the truth will be revealed to us soon enough."</p><p>"What happens to a leath who gets to be part of this group? I mean, you just stated three people in the group who are leaths, and they can't exactly get a boost in magic from it," Carys pointed out. </p><p>"Their manifestations are strengthened greatly. I'm sure that you noticed it when you see any of them fight. The rest of us have strengthened magic, but... Cryon, Altina, and Caius fight with the strength of a dozen soldiers," Zylphia answered. </p><p>"That makes sense... My father got rather famous for his power on the battlefield, and I suppose that being part of the Sealed Ones only made him stronger. No wonder everyone is terrified of him," Luce commented, a small smile blooming on her face. </p><p>"I believe that covers all our bases for the time being," Zylphia replied. "Now, you should head back to your room... And remember, nobody needs to know about this. I must ask you to keep it as secret as possible, and if anyone needs to know, please consult us before telling them. We want to keep you safe, and word getting out about this could compromise your safety."</p><p>"Understood," Tanith nodded. She looked over to S.M. as an orange light washed over her, and when it faded, she was back to normal. </p><p>"If you have any questions in the morning, feel free to come to me. I must return to Angelwood to help with the cleanup effort... The damages to the building were minimal, but it's still important that we get rid of as much of the ash that was left behind as possible. Until we meet again," Zylphia told them. She rose to her feet and teleported away, leaving the girls alone in the office. </p><p>Luce looked around at everyone else before letting out a sigh. "I can't believe this is happening... Everything is moving so quickly," she murmured. </p><p>"But this can work in our favor," Iris remarked with a small smirk. "S.M. has gotten a boost of power, and it was enough to catch River off guard. Even if River wasn't fully focused during that fight, an Isolis mage actually being able to stand up to an Inlustris mage... That's incredible. This could be the power that we need in order to fend off the Alight Five."</p><p>"Unfortunately, we don't have much say in if it will work out this way or not," Tanith pointed out. "But we can talk about it more in the morning. For the time being, I vote that we go to bed. A lot has happened tonight, and I think that we deserve more than a little rest after all that."</p><p>"You aren't going to hear me objecting," Carys declared with a scoff. "Let's get to it."</p><p>Luce opened the door to the office, allowing everyone to head out. She let out a small sigh once they were out in the hallway. "We're going to have to tell Cessair, Anneliese, and Nebula that we're alright. We don't want them freaking out or anything," she remarked. </p><p>"I'll take care of it," Iris piped in. She sighed and shook her head. "I can't believe it. This was meant to be a time for us to enjoy ourselves, but then River had to show up and ruin it. Now, everything's been ruined, and our lives are in danger again because of something that's out of our control. I wish the Alight Five would just step off for a while."</p><p>"The only way that we'll be able to get rid of them would be to go to Igni and find the truth ourselves," Carys pointed out, her tone grim. "I've been saying this for a while. We have to track down the person who actually killed Octavia Irikai, and once we do, then S.M. will be free of suspicion."</p><p>"When are we supposed to do that?" Helena questioned. </p><p>"As soon as we can. Let's give it a week," Carys answered. "If we want this to end, we have to go for it, and waiting will only make the problem worse. In a week, we set out for Igni to end this once and for all."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I love the Alitia cast so much I don't think I can ever express how much I care for them</p><p>-Digital</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. XII: Guardians</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The Guardians of Neo-Yen arrive on Millennia.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Two days after the battle at Angelwood, a ship descended upon the open area near Sacred Heart. Minerva, Altina, Caius, Zylphia, Jin, and Fromir all stared up at it as the vehicle slowly grew closer before landing. Wind was kicked up by the ship as it came to a stop, but none of them flinched at it. </p><p>The door to the ship opened, and two figures appeared in the entryway before walking down the ramp to the ground. The first was a woman with lengthy silver hair and blue eyes. She wore a blue headband adorned with sparkles to keep her bangs away from her face. A purple choker was wrapped around her neck. She wore a red dress with purple swirls and long sleeves. The skirt ended just below her knees at a slanted edge. A blue sash hung from her waist, and she completed the look with purple tights and red heels. </p><p>The second person was a man far shorter than the woman. He seemed to be unable to stand perfectly straight, instead opting for an odd slouched-over posture that made him seem more like a teenage delinquent than an important political figure. He had mahogany hair tied into a small ponytail at the base of his neck, and he wore a black jacket over a red shirt. He wore black pants with matching combat boots, and his eyes were a fiery reddish-brown color. His canine teeth and ears were both particularly sharp, and he hardly seemed human from some perspectives. </p><p>"The Guardians of Neo-Yen," Caius commented, taking a small step towards the pair. "It's good to meet you." He bowed his head, his expression solemn as could be. </p><p>"You don't need to be formal with us," the woman smiled, and her grin seemed to light up the area in an indescribable way. "We're going to be working together in the next few weeks, aren't we? It would be best if we got to know each other casually."</p><p>Caius nodded hesitantly. "Alright. My name is Caius, but... I somehow get the feeling you already knew that. I know who you are as well," he replied. </p><p>The man let out a small snicker before he began to change shape. When he was finished shifting, he looked exactly like the woman who stood at his side. "We are the Guardians of Neo-Yen, Aurore Monroe and Leviathan Prome. You need not be formal with us, as we are here to defend and help all people in need. Should you need our help, all you need to do is say the word," he said, though it was very clearly in her voice that these words were being spoken. </p><p>The woman, Aurore, let out a sigh as the man shifted back to his original appearance. "How many times have I told you not to do that when we're meeting new people? We don't need to be putting off a negative first impression, Leviathan," she scolded him. </p><p>The man, Leviathan, shrugged. "Maybe that's just how I think we can break the ice. A fancy title won't change the fact that we're children at heart," he said. He tucked his hands up behind his head as he turned his attention to the other members of the Starlight Camaraderie standing nearby. "I see that you brought along your comrades as well... It's good to meet you all... Or reunite, in some cases."</p><p>Minerva didn't say a word despite Leviathan's gaze clearly lingering on him. He had clearly grown quite a bit, though he was still acting just as he had before they both left their family behind. Minerva examined him cautiously for a moment before taking a small step forward. "It's... It's good to see you again, Leviathan," she managed to say, unsure of what else would start the conversation. </p><p>"As to you, Min," Leviathan grinned. He reached out one hand to punch Minerva lightly in the upper arm. "It's been too long since we were last able to have a decent conversation. Not since we were both first disowned and all that."</p><p>None of the other members of the Starlight Camaraderie said anything, though Jin seemed somewhat surprised. Aurore watched on with a kind smile, and it was easy to assume that Leviathan had told her the full story behind whatever was going on there. </p><p>"I see that you've changed your name since the last time we ran into each other as well," Minerva commented, crossing her arms. "Prome fits you far better than Ardent ever could."</p><p>Leviathan nodded. "I was thinking the same thing. Also, your hair turned red. I thought that it would still be black. Part of me was wondering if the red hair seen on you in pictures was fake, but... I guess that's not the case at all. Oh, well. You can tell me the full story later on," he remarked. "I'm sure that you know why I'm here."</p><p>"I originally heard that the Guardians of Neo-Yen were here for political reasons to help Millennia recover from the Thanatos War. As far as I can tell, that is not true in the slightest," Zylphia commented, looking carefully to the Guardians. "Caius told us about what your mission is going to be. I must say, that makes much more sense than what we were told at first."</p><p>"We couldn't have anyone getting suspicious about our coming here. If we said that it was for another reason, not as many people would ask questions," Aurore answered. "I'm sure that you know we're doing something secretive, and if the wrong people found out, it could spell disaster and keep us from carrying out our mission."</p><p>"It sounds to me like you think there's more to this than meets the eye," Jin remarked, tilting his head to one side lightly. "Do you believe that there's someone out there who's trying to keep you from finding the truth behind all of this?"</p><p>"I'm sure of it," Caius frowned. "How would it have stayed so secret up until this point? Somebody has to be running interference to keep the truth from getting out."</p><p>"If you need help searching, we can do what we must in order to aid your cause," Fromir offered. </p><p>Leviathan gasped and grinned at Fromir. "Well, aren't you just the sweetest thing!" he exclaimed. "You must be the headmaster of Sierra. I've heard a lot about you. You're pretty good at your job as far as I'm aware."</p><p>Fromir flushed at the sudden attention. "I-I mean... Um... I don't know if I would go that far..." he stammered, unable to get out much more than that thanks to the oppressive force that was his embarrassment. </p><p>"You don't need to worry in the slightest," Leviathan said, noticing how nervous he was. "We're all going to become great friends, and then you can brag about how great you are after we get to know one another better."</p><p>Minerva sighed and pulled Leviathan a few steps away from Fromir. "Please don't overwhelm him. He really does not need to deal with your chaos on top of everything that's already happening," Minerva told Leviathan with a frown. "We can talk more about this later when we aren't in the middle of an important discussion."</p><p>"Speaking of important discussion, I have to ask... Where are you two going to be staying?" Zylphia questioned. "I never heard about arrangements for sleeping, but if you need something worked out, we would be happy to provide for you."</p><p>"We haven't figured that out. Aurore was super worked up about it, but I knew that it would all be fine. We can work something out," Leviathan replied. "Everything will be fine if you go with the flow."</p><p>Aurore frowned lightly. "I don't recall anyone saying that before, but... Alright. If you're so sure that we'll be alright, then I'll trust you. I see no reason not to," she said, looking down at the ground. "We should probably get started with our investigation. The king and queen are going to want to hear of our results as soon as possible, and it would be best if we didn't keep them waiting. They can get rather impatient when something large is on the line, and this might be the most important inquiry that we could possibly make as far as they are concerned."</p><p>"You can stay at Sierra if you would like," Fromir offered. "We have a few extra rooms, and I'd be happy to let you share it free of charge."</p><p>"That would be great, Fromi!" Leviathan grinned, clapping his hands together. "It's really nice of you to offer to do that for us."</p><p>"Fromi?" Fromir echoed. "That's one letter off my actual name, so why don't you just...?"</p><p>"It's not a cutesy nickname if it's your full name," Leviathan told him with a simple shrug. "Now, how about we go out and take care of our business now? I know that there are a few people out there waiting to hear an update from us, so we might as well get it over with sooner rather than later so we can relax."</p><p>"Sounds good to me," Aurore nodded, turning her attention to Fromir. "Thank you for the offer. We accept it gladly. I'm afraid Leviathan is right in saying that we have to get going, but... We'll see you again later today."</p><p>Aurore, Caius, and Leviathan began to walk away in the seconds that followed. After a few steps, Leviathan paused and looked over his shoulder, making eye contact with Minerva. For the first time since arriving on Millennia, he had a serious expression on his face. "We can talk more later, Minerva," he said, not using his nickname of choice for her. Soon afterwards, he turned around and kept walking, disappearing from the campus of Sacred Heart a few moments later. </p><p>Altina looked over to Minerva and frowned gently. "So... That's him," she remarked. "You're going to have to talk to him about everything sooner or later, so what's your plan going to be when that time comes?"</p><p>Minerva sighed. "I'll figure that out later. For now, I should get back inside. The fact remains that classes are going on right now, and we can't pawn work off onto other teachers forever. I doubt that Karver is going to want to take over my physical combat class for too much longer given how he is far from being physically inclined. I'll see you later," she replied. Her lack of conversation on the subject showed that it wasn't something she wanted to discuss, so nobody pressed her on it, not wanting to see her reaction to any questions on the matter.</p><p>Altina watched Minerva go, crossing her arms over her chest. "It doesn't surprise me that she's trying to get out of this," she grumbled. "It's been years since she spoke to Leviathan, to say the least. She barely ever mentions him to even me."</p><p>"I haven't heard her talk about him much," Jin commented with a frown. "What's the whole story there?"</p><p>Altina hesitated. "I think that's something that she should tell you in full, but the short version is that they were both disowned by their parents at about the same time. After Minerva lost her wings, she was disowned due to the tradition of her home planet. Leviathan left the family soon afterwards in a show of rebellion, but they didn't really get the chance to stay connected, so they drifted apart. There's no real strain in their relationship aside from not seeing each other much over the past few years, but I guess that's hard to get past," she explained. </p><p>"I hope that they're able to get along like they did before," Fromir said with a sigh. "I don't like it when Minerva gets mad or otherwise upset."</p><p>"Because you're scared of her?" Zylphia questioned, raising an eyebrow in Fromir's direction. </p><p>"I'm not going to answer that," Fromir told her with a roll of his eyes. "I want the best for her. After all, the Starlight Camaraderie has always been like a little family for me. Everybody here deserves to be happy, and anyone who says otherwise is going to have to deal with me."</p><p>"Should we think of something to do that would help them to patch up their relationship?" Jin asked, looking to Altina. </p><p>Altina shook her head. "No. It would be best if we stayed out of this. Minerva isn't a fan of people meddling in her affairs, in case you haven't already noticed. I'm sure that she'll take care of it with time. All we need to do is give her the chance to manage it," she replied. "Also, as much as I hate to admit it, she has a point when she says that we have to get back to teaching our students. They're waiting on us, and I doubt that the other members of our respective staffs are going to want to keep the students entertained for much longer."</p><p>"Besides, I have to go back and check on the girls," Zylphia said. She didn't need to get more specific than that for everyone to know exactly what she was talking about. </p><p>"There was really a Sealing at the party then," Fromir sighed. "It's so crazy to think about... I didn't think something like that was going to happen, but... I guess that sometimes life shows you why you should expect the unexpected."</p><p>"I couldn't tell you why they qualified for this given that there was no Keeper present for S.M. to be Sealed for, but... I suppose that Luce is close enough," Zylphia remarked with a shake of her head. "They've vowed to keep it secret, but I'm still a bit on edge. The Alight Five aren't making things any better with how heavily they've been interfering with everything."</p><p>"It seems this semester really isn't going to be peaceful like we had hoped," Fromir frowned. "The Alight Five are a problem on their own, but... A Sealing only complicates things. We're going to have to make sure that nobody else sees another Sealing take place. We got lucky this time, but we might not wind up in such a favorable position the next time that it happens. It's bound to take place again. It's just a matter of time."</p><p>"I'll do what I can to keep them from getting into trouble, but if there are any problems, I'll be sure to let you know," Zylphia told the group. "Until then, I suppose this is where we part ways for now."</p><p>Jin gently wrapped an arm around Zylphia's shoulders, giving her a gentle half-hug so as not to make her uncomfortable. "I'll see you all later," he said, waving to the remaining members of the Starlight Camaraderie before turning on his heel to walk away. </p><p>Fromir and Zylphia were the next to leave, both heading off towards their specific schools. Altina remained on the campus of Sacred Heart for a moment longer. She looked up to one of the windows and saw Minerva walk past, and a sigh left her lips. Altina shook her head before turning away as well, wondering how the hell Minerva was going to take care of this one.</p><p>~~~~~</p><p>"I'm sorry, you want us to do <em>what</em>?"</p><p>Nebula and Anneliese sat on the couch in the girls' dorm room at Alitia, both of their eyes wide. Nebula was the one who had posed the question as she stared at Carys. </p><p>"We're sneaking off to Igni to find the truth behind what happened to the princess. If we can figure out who actually killed her, then we can get the Alight Five off our backs," Carys repeated. "However, we're going to need your help in order to pull something like that off."</p><p>"We aren't good enough at masking magic to hide our appearances, and if we show up there, we're bound to be arrested and surrounded," S.M. began. "Then there's the matter of a portal to get there. Tanith can do minor dimensional magic since Headmistress Satim has already taught her, but she can't do it well enough to bail us out of trouble on a dime. We're going to need your help in order to pull this off, so will you help us sneak off to Igni?"</p><p>"You two have to know that this sounds absolutely crazy. What if we get caught? If something happens, then we can't just bail out of it as easily as you think. All of the authorities there are looking for you guys, and something could easily go wrong," Anneliese pointed out. </p><p>"You snuck out of your home to do things that could be considered dangerous too," Iris told her. "I don't think that you can really lecture us about putting our necks on the line for this, Ann."</p><p>Anneliese opened and closed her mouth helplessly for a few seconds before sighing and leaning backwards. As much as she hated to admit it, Iris had a point. "I-I like to think that was different than running directly into hostile territory to look around..." she grumbled. </p><p>"Coming here when you knew that the Possession Master was going to get angry with you if you attacked him doesn't sound too different to me," Helena said, looking to Anneliese with an expression that could only be described as a concerned mother. "How do you think we felt when you put yourself in danger like that?"</p><p>"In conclusion, you have to come with us!" Sylvia grinned, clapping her hands together. "We can totally handle this. If you guys want to come with us, though I don't think you really have a choice at this point, we're surely going to find some form of success. It's just a matter of time."</p><p>"I still don't like the idea of this. Isn't sneaking out of the school against the rules or something?" Nebula questioned. </p><p>"It's not illegal to go home for a weekend. Upperclassmen do it all the time. My sister's mentioned a few times that her roommates like to leave on some weekends when they get homesick," S.M. replied. "It's perfectly fine and not at all against school policy that we're heading out for a weekend."</p><p>"Should we say that we're going elsewhere to make sure that nobody else is worried about us?" Sophia questioned. "After all, Headmistress Satim is going to get worried if her daughter suddenly just disappears."</p><p>"We can say that we're going for a weekend retreat somewhere to decompress after the stress of what happened at Angelwood. A lot of people were hurt by that fight, so it wouldn't be too much of a surprise that we were stepping away for a while to calm down after the sudden attack by River," Tanith suggested. "I don't like the idea of lying to her, but... We have to do this if we want the attacks to stop."</p><p>"I'll tell that to Mina too. I don't want her to get too freaked out by me leaving. She's a bit protective at times, and she's even more on edge because of what happened at Angelwood last week," S.M. declared. "We can leave Friday evening and then take care of as much as we can before coming back in the afternoon on Sunday. How does that sound?"</p><p>Nebula sighed. "I don't know about this... Are you sure that this is a good idea? Things could so easily go wrong, and what are we supposed to do when we find ourselves knee deep in trouble? We won't be able to back out of this as easily as we hope, and if one of us get stranded there, what are we supposed to do?" she asked. </p><p>"We have to get this to stop though. We can't let it continue," Luce pointed out. "If we want to get the Alight Five off our back, then we have to find something else for them to chase after. The culprit of the murder is what they want, so we'll have to find proof that somebody else could have committed the crime."</p><p>"But we don't even know where she died or any of the finer details like that. How can we investigate when any proof is likely long gone? We're going in there blind, and there's nothing we can do to change that," Nebula said. </p><p>"Actually, I do know where she died. I did some digging on the side to figure out the full story behind that, and I was able to learn that she died underground in a major city of Igni. If we can get into that city, I should be able to sense where an underground area would be," S.M. replied. "My magic is mostly centered around the blend between earth and fire, but if I want to, I can lean towards one side or the other, and if I focus on the earth magic I have, I should be able to figure out where the underground pocket is since it won't be solid ground all the way down to the core of the planet."</p><p>"Sounds like you've thought of everything," Anneliese murmured. "As much as I hate to admit it, I feel like this might be a better idea than just waiting for them to attack again. We got lucky when River decided to retreat last time. I don't know what drove them off, but we might not wind up bailed out of something like that when they attack again."</p><p>"I feel like we're going to have to be as careful as possible if we want to pull this off properly," Sylvia said. "But we have to try it. We're out of other options. It's not like everybody else can defend us."</p><p>"If the king gets frustrated, he could decide to invade Millennia. The army of Igni is on the larger side, and Millennia rarely ever engages in war. The students of the Millennium Six would be forced to the front lines, and we wouldn't be fighting Shadows again. This would be a disaster much larger than the Possession Master attacking the schools. We have to be careful with what could come if we mess this up," Tanith pointed out. "I don't think that we can do anything else but go to Igni and see what we can find at this point."</p><p>The honesty of Tanith's words hung in the air for a moment, and the room fell silent. The tension seemed to kill any form of optimism regarding waiting out the attacks by the Alight Five, and it became clear as could be what the only option to drive them away was. They were going to have to drive away the Alight Five by distracting them with something else since raw power wouldn't do anything to help them in this situation. It was the best option. </p><p>"Alright," Nebula murmured. "I don't want to be involved with multiple wars before I even turn twenty, so I'm in. I assume that Anneliese is down for it as well... You'll have to give us updates on the plan as it gets closer to time to set out."</p><p>"Is Cessair going to come with us?" Anneliese asked. </p><p>"I don't think so. I don't want to put her at risk like this," Luce replied. "She's never been much of a fighter, and I would rather not place her in danger given what happened last time she was involved in a large fight. She can come along next time we set out if there is a next time."</p><p>"Alright. In that case, tell us when you've figured out more about what's to come," Nebula said, rising to her feet. "Anneliese and I should be getting back to Sacred Heart. It would be best if we kept from sticking around here for much longer than we already have. We don't want anybody getting worried given that curfew is coming soon. See you later."</p><p>Nebula and Anneliese left the room, and nobody spoke for a few moments afterwards. The choice was clear, but that didn't mean that any of them had to like what was going to come next. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Duncan shut the doors of his bookshop as he turned the sign around to say closed after it had read 'open' all day. He let out a small breath before turning to the rest of the store. He began to drift around the area, doing what he had to in order to straighten it up for the next day of business. </p><p>He hummed under his breath as he placed books upright. Some had fallen off shelves, and he leaned over to pick them up before sliding them back into their proper positions. This had always been one of his favorite parts of the day, oddly enough, simply because it was the best time for him to think. There was no one around for him to be distracted by, and only his thoughts kept him company. </p><p>Duncan began walking down the aisles in the children's section before picking up a small toy that had undoubtedly been dropped by the rowdy toddler that had entered the store earlier that day. He smiled to himself as he pocketed the doll, making a mental note to place it in lost and found as soon as he returned to the area of his desk. </p><p>Duncan paused when he saw a shadow walking past outside the store. The figure looked familiar and unfamiliar at the same time, though he couldn't quite put his finger on where he could have seen someone like that. He did a good job of remembering who came into his store, and that face looked like no one he had seen at the checkout region. </p><p>He stared at the person as they passed by the window, and he felt a shiver run up his spine. If he was correct about where he had seen that person before, then he wanted to stay as far away as possible. A million memories flashed into his mind without his permission, and he wanted to tear his gaze away from the shadowy outline outside the window. He could feel his heart skip a beat, and it wasn't until the person was gone that Duncan felt as if he could breathe again. </p><p>That couldn't be possible, right? Why the hell would somebody like that be on Millennia? It simply didn't make any sense. Duncan's hand clenched into a fist, and he could feel his nails digging into his skin. He didn't stop despite the pain pounding in his palm.</p><p>Whoever that was, they had to stay as far away as possible. It would be awful if they came any closer to Duncan. Even if they weren't the person he suspected them to be, the instant connection was enough to drive Duncan away permanently. </p><p>Blood flowed from Duncan's palm, dripping onto the carpet. He examined his hand with a small sigh. He would have to clean that up and fix his wound. In all truth, that was the least he deserved as far as suffering was concerned. Much more was certainly waiting for him in hell, and this was a small infliction of hurt that he most certainly deserved. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Salem picked up a small stack of papers and straightened them out by hitting them against his desk gently before sliding them back into the place where they belonged in a specific drawer. Salem was nothing if not meticulous when it came to organization, and he was happy to go over everything in his office multiple times to ensure it was straightened properly. </p><p>Salem leaned back and looked at the ceiling. It seemed as if he was alone more often than not these days, not that he expected anything different. After all, the one looking after him was the ruler of Aerania, and he couldn't expect his guardian to drop everything to spend time with him. </p><p>In fact, it wasn't as if Salem wasn't used to this. The king of Aerania rarely spent any time not working on how to govern the planet. Aerania was far from being in top condition, not that he would ever admit that to anyone. After all, showing weakness was one of the things he was worst at, and he refused to let anybody see that the planet had been struggling for a long time. </p><p>Since the loss of the crystal where Selene was held, the king had grown much harsher with his policies. It was as if everything he did was focused towards tracking down the girl who had stolen the cradle of a demigoddess. Salem hadn't been allowed to leave the palace for many years, but these days, he could sneak out without many issues. It wasn't as if the owner of his favorite bookstore was going to tell on him to the king. </p><p>Salem picked up the most recent book he had found from the bookstore. It was about legends from various planets, and it contained information about Selene and the girl who had stolen her away in the first place. He brushed his hand across the cover, pushing some stray fragments of dust away before opening the book. The spine made a light creasing noise as he fully opened the tome. </p><p>Salem let out a small breath, closing his eyes for a moment before focusing on the small text written on the page, curious about what it had to say regarding Selene. Part of him longed to know the truth behind her disappearance, and he couldn't tell if it was because of his general curiosity towards the past or since perhaps it might finally get him the attention he sought from the king of Aerania. Regardless, he kept reading. </p><p>He was going to get out of the palace again soon. He couldn't stick around for much longer given all that he had heard about from Millennia. If the Alight Five truly were causing issues, then he had to go and calm them down. It was the least he could do considering what he suspected about their leader. </p><p>How could he stay away when she could be the one he had been searching for all this time?</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I love Salem, Duncan, Leviathan, and Aurore this is a PSA</p><p>-Digital</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. XIII: Searching</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Aurore, Leviathan, and Caius begin their search for the lost princess of N-Yx. Meanwhile, S.M. and Mina talk about life on Igni.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Leviathan's shoes crunched onto a small pile of leaves as he walked alongside Aurore and Caius through the trees near Millennium City. "This is the spot where that magical signature was detected, right?" he asked. </p><p>"Yes, it was... Do you have any ideas on how we can trace the magical signature further than this?" Aurore asked him, looking to Leviathan with a small frown on her face. </p><p>Leviathan nodded. "I got this, no problems!" He clasped his hands together before stretching out his arms above his head, and his shape began to shift as he brought his limbs back to his side. When the shift was fully finished, he was on all fours and looked less like a human and more like an animal. He was a dog of some sorts, and he pressed his nose to the ground and began to walk around, his tail flickering back and forth lightly. </p><p>"Do you know what you're doing?" Caius questioned. </p><p>Leviathan snorted. "I'm probably the reason they wanted our help with this search in the first place," he remarked. "I can transform into anything that I want to, and I'm amazing at looking for anything that needs to be found. It's one thing that makes me so amazing." He continued to sniff around the ground before his hair began to stand on end. "There's a magical signature here that I don't recognize... Moon magic... But that's not all. It's combined with something else."</p><p>"Moon magic combined with something else?" Aurore echoed, tilting her head to one side. She crouched down next to Leviathan as he turned back into human shape to pop his neck. </p><p>"That means that there's something strange about what we're searching for," Leviathan replied with a shrug. "I don't know what it is quite yet. The traces are faint, like whatever happened here was a while ago. We're going to have to get closer if we want to find out more about whoever is giving off this signal. However, I believe that it has something to do with the moon mage that we're searching for. The magic is too similar to the kind and queen for that to not be the case. This is no coincidence. We're getting closer to our target."</p><p>"If that's really true, then where do we look next?" Aurore questioned. "We're going to have to get closer, but we can't do that unless we know where this person we're looking for is."</p><p>Leviathan morphed back into animal form and continued sniffing around. "There's no direction that the tracks go. Instead, they just disappear into thin air about... Here." Leviathan shifted back to normal and frowned. "Somebody used teleportation magic to take the target of ours away a few weeks ago, and I'm afraid that, as of now, there isn't a way to figure out the truth."</p><p>Caius sighed. "Great. So we've reached a dead end?" he asked. </p><p>Aurore shook her head. "Hold on a moment," she whispered. "He's just being dramatic and theatrical. This is normal for him."</p><p>Leviathan threw his arms upwards in a grand gesture. "However, I can totally figure that out! All I need to do is this..." Leviathan began to change shapes again, though this time, he looked more like a person when the transformation was completed. His appearance had grown to be that of an adult, a scholar, by the looks of it. </p><p>"What's with the change in appearance?" Caius questioned hesitantly. </p><p>"When I change shape into another person or thing, I can gain their abilities. In this case, I've shown myself to be a scholar of dimensional magic, so with a little bit of probing, I should be able to figure out exactly where our target disappeared to," Leviathan replied. "It won't take too long to figure out, so you don't need to worry at all. Everything is perfectly under control, and it will be fine soon enough."</p><p>"You're sure that you know what you're doing then," Caius said, trying to grapple with the way Leviathan's conversations kept on jumping. With how chaotic his behavior was, it was difficult to say for sure if he was capable of staying on track or if it was a requirement for him to switch the topic using his grandeur every few seconds. </p><p>"I do, as a matter of fact. It won't take too long for me to sort through the magical signatures in this area, and when I'm done, then we'll have our answer regarding what comes next. We'll be able to follow after our target, and we can find out more about what the king and queen want to know then," Leviathan replied. "Give me a few minutes."</p><p>"Once we get to the proper planet, it should be much easier to figure out where the princess can be found. We'll be able to track her magical signature by using the air, and it will be easier to see where she has come and gone. Plus, she'll have moved around a lot more, and that makes things much easier for us," Aurore declared. "In other words, we'll be able to move ahead with the next phase of the plan soon, and that will allow everything to fall perfectly into place as far as I can tell."</p><p>"It seems as if we really do have this under control," Caius murmured. He had been uncertain at first given that he didn't know all that much about Leviathan or Aurore, but it seemed that they were much more professional than he was willing to give them credit for. Leviathan, as ridiculous as he could get, seemed to have a pretty good plan regarding what was coming next as well, something that caught Caius off guard, not that he would ever admit to such. </p><p>"When we arrive at the proper planet, then things are going to get interesting. In some cases, we'll have to search by using some underhanded methods. After all, some worlds are a bit stingy with outsiders coming in and snooping while others are a bit more open with allowing for investigation," Aurore said next, snapping Caius out of his thoughts. "We won't really be able to plan for what comes next until we find the truth."</p><p>Leviathan sighed. "Hold your horses, Aurore. I'm working as quickly as I can, but I can't exactly bend the universe to my will with the blink of an eye," he reminded her. </p><p>"I'm not trying to seem pushy or anything," Aurore told him with a small smile. "However, I must admit... I'm rather excited to see where this leads us. It's been a long time since I was able to set out on an investigation like this, and I want to see what's coming next. We're bound to find something unexpected somewhere, and I'm excited for it."</p><p>"I just hope that it doesn't lead us straight into danger. It's hard to gather more information when you're too busy fighting for your life," Caius murmured with a shake of his head. </p><p>"We'll deal with it when we come to it. For now, enjoy yourselves! I'm the only one who needs to do any work, and even so, it's not a big deal," Leviathan declared, his voice a slow and casual drawl as he swiped his fingers through the air in a small display of magic. </p><p>Caius nodded and shut his eyes. He didn't know where this was going to lead them, but he prayed deep down that it wasn't straight into the jaws of trouble. There was enough to deal with that year already without factoring in nonsense like this. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>S.M. knocked on the door of her sister's room. A muffled call of "I'll get it" came from inside before the door opened to show Mina standing in the entrance of the apartment. She gasped at the sight of her sister. "Hey, S.M.!" Mina exclaimed upon seeing her sister. She gestured for her sister to walk inside. "Come on in."</p><p>S.M. nodded and glanced around the room. There were a few other girls in Mina's dorm scattered about, but none of them seemed to be bothered by her sudden arrival. They were all preoccupied with doing their own work, and the few who did look up to S.M. didn't comment on her at all before looking down at whatever was resting in front of them. </p><p>"You never told me what happened to you at the party at Angelwood," Mina started off once the two girls were sitting on the couch together. She reached out one hand to rest it on top of her sister's fingers, a look of concern on her face. </p><p>S.M. opened her mouth and hesitated. Zylphia had been pretty clear about not telling anybody about the process of Sealing, and since she was the only one so far, it would be best if she held off for a while. She shook her head to Mina, unable to lift her gaze to look into her sister's eyes. "I'm afraid that I can't tell you about it right now, but when I get the chance to, I will for sure," she said, hoping that Mina didn't realize she was lying. </p><p>If Mina did catch on, she didn't say anything about it, instead leaning back and tucking her free arm behind her head. "It's okay. I get it. Headmistress Satim has always been a bit tense when it comes to letting information out, and I imagine that she's only grown more tense with all that's happened involving the Alight Five," she murmured. "Speaking of, how are you holding up? I know that it isn't easy to have to deal with all of this at such a young age, especially so soon after what happened last semester with Iago Thanatos marching on this place."</p><p>S.M. shrugged. "I suppose that I'm fine. I've been better, but I could most certainly be doing worse at the same time, if that makes any sense," she replied simply. "It's a lot, to put it simply. I didn't expect that I would need to deal with all of this before I even graduated from school, but I suppose that life is full of twists and turns that make everything harder for us. That's sort of par for the course at this point."</p><p>Mina snorted. "Yeah, that is true... But if you ever need to talk about anything, you know that I'm here to listen to everything that you have to say, right? After all, we're all that we have at this point. Our parents aren't exactly going to do anything to help us out at this point, so it's up to us to support each other," she reminded S.M. gently. </p><p>S.M. nodded numbly. Their attempts to reconnect with their parents when they went back to Igni over the school break had failed miserably. They hadn't come anywhere close to seeing their parents again, leaving their shared relationship just as fractured as it once had been. S.M. shouldn't have been surprised that their parents didn't bother to reach out, but it still hurt her to know that some tradition reinforced by the king was more important to them than their own children were. </p><p>Maybe that was one reason she was so upset with all that was happening. Surion had already done more than enough to ruin her life by insisting that her parents cut her off completely when she left for Alitia simply because she had leath blood. She wasn't a mage fully, and that was enough for Surion to loathe her simply for existing. The Alight Five only made her hate him more, but she wouldn't mind the image of his head on a pike even when factoring that out. </p><p>"Who needs them?" Mina asked, noticing that S.M. was likely thinking about them in her moment of spaciness. "We have each other, and that's what matters most. They aren't going to support us, so we shouldn't support them either. You get out what you put in, and they aren't going to put in anything worthwhile, so we don't need to bother with it either."</p><p>S.M. nodded again. "Yeah. You're right," she mumbled. Despite her words, she couldn't help but wonder how things would have been different if her parents hadn't completely cut her off. Things wouldn't be as they were in that moment, that was for sure, but she couldn't quite pinpoint any details. She was unfamiliar with having a complete family at any age that could be considered adult, so what the hell was she was supposed to imagine when thinking of her family?</p><p>Mina nudged her gently. "So... What do you think the truth is behind what happened to Octavia?" she asked, seamlessly changing the subject. "I know that we never figured out the truth, and the culprit is still out there. I know that you didn't do it like the king says. You would never. You have no reason to."</p><p>"Octavia was always pushing for the advancements of leath rights on Igni. Why in the world would I want her dead? If she succeeded in ascending to the throne and declaring equality, things would be different for us. We wouldn't need to be abandoned by our parents. No other child in our position would suffer the way that we did ever again. Having her as the queen of the planet would be perfect," S.M. remarked. "If you ask me, he's full of crap. Then again, when has he ever not been? All he ever does is insist that things were better back in his prime before the leaths started getting ideas about restlessness and rebellion."</p><p>"He had better be careful with what he says. If he talks like that much more, then he might wind up as the victim of all sorts of unfortunate incidents," Mina remarked with a light shrug. "Of course, if that did happen, I wouldn't offer him the slightest amount of sympathy. Why would I bother with doing such when he simply doesn't deserve it? He's a rotten man, and nothing he could ever do nowadays will erase the sins of the past."</p><p>S.M. sighed. "I wonder if he's declaring that I committed the crime because he has it out for me," she murmured. "We all know that it's ridiculous. No motive that he could ever propose would make sense, and he can't make the pieces fit together when they don't connect at all."</p><p>"It wouldn't surprise me, but... I don't know why he would do something like that in the first place," Mina remarked. "I'm sure that he wants to know the truth just as much as everyone else, and insisting that you did it when you very clearly are innocent isn't going to help anybody figure it out. He thought of Octavia as a little angel. All her activism work was done behind his back, and he was none the wiser to how rebellious and strong she really was behind her mask of sweet perfection."</p><p>"Yeah, I don't get it either, but I'm sure that we'll find the answer soon enough. He can't hide the truth from us forever, and when I do find out, I'm going to beat the living daylights out of him," S.M. muttered bitterly. </p><p>"Until that time comes, you know that you can come to me for anything, right?" Mina asked. "I know that a lot has happened as of late, and you shouldn't have to deal with all that's been happening on your own. It's a lot to confront even with a group, and I want you to be sure that you can come to me no matter what is bothering you. I'm happy to listen to whatever you have to say. That's what sisters are for, right?"</p><p>S.M. paused at hearing those words, and she swallowed dryly. As much as she wanted to trust Mina with everything that she had on her mind, she knew that it simply was not an option. There were some things that she simply couldn't mention to her sister no matter how much she wanted to. For one, there was the matter of the symbol on her torso. S.M.'s fingers instinctively drifted to curl around her side, hiding the mark even though it was already masked from view by Zylphia's spell. </p><p>Then there was the subject of her mission to Igni. She and the others were still planning on sneaking out when the time came for them to duck away and see what they could learn about Octavia's death later in the week. Nothing was going to keep them from finding out the truth and getting the Alight Five to think about something else. It was a risky plan, yes, but if they wanted to prevent a disaster between Igni and Millennia, it was their best option. They didn't exactly have a choice on the matter. </p><p>Instead of mentioning any of this, S.M. plastered a well-practiced yet false grin on her face and looked up at Mina. "I know. And you don't need to worry about me at all. I'm fine. If there was anything to worry about, you would already be fully aware of it. You know me. I wouldn't keep stuff like this from you if it was truly important. When have you known me to hide things from you?" she asked. </p><p>Mina still seemed to be somewhat suspicious, but if she was concerned, she didn't say anything about it. Instead, she shrugged and looked up at the ceiling. "You make a captivating argument, little sister of mine. I just want you to know for sure that you can trust me with anything. I've always stood by you, and you've done the same for me. I'm not going to abandon that tradition when we've come so far together. After all, you're all that I have left in the way of family, and the reverse applies to you," Mina told her. </p><p>S.M. nodded. "Yeah, you're right... And it's because of that fact that I'm going to stay as far away from trouble as I possibly can. I don't want to leave you all alone when our parents have already made you suffer enough. It's the least that I can do as your sister. I don't want you hurting just like you don't want me suffering either. That's how we work, isn't it?" S.M. asked. She raised one hand and held it out, waiting for a fist bump. </p><p>Mina smirked and let her own fist hit her younger sister's before she laughed. "I'm glad to see that you're feeling better after that fight at Angelwood. I was pretty worried about you, S.M., but you seem to be doing much better than you were. It's been a while since I've seen you so frazzled, but you seem to be back to your old self once again, and I suppose that's all I can ask for," Mina remarked. "But... You had better stick to that promise of not getting yourself into any more trouble, okay?"</p><p>S.M. nodded once again and rose to her feet. "I should head back to my room now. I have some homework to take care of," she told her sister. "But I promise that I'll do what I can to avoid trouble. I know that I can't always stay away from it, but I'm still going to do what I can to stay out of danger. I've dealt with more than enough of it this school year between everything from first semester and now the few appearances by the Alight Five. Believe me when I say that I don't want more of that."</p><p>"That's good to hear," Mina smiled. She got to her feet as well and walked S.M. to the door before opening it. "Remember that I'm always here if you want to gossip or just talk about life in general. What are sisters for?" She grinned as she waved goodbye to S.M., who stepped out into the hallway and watched as the door shut behind her. </p><p>S.M. let out a small sigh when she heard Mina's footsteps go away from the door. She placed one hand on her forehead and shook her head slowly. She hated having to lie to her sister, but she knew that Mina was never going to agree to letting her go to Igni if she heard about the plan. It would be a recipe for disaster if she got involved. If Mina heard, she would do all that she possibly could in order to stop S.M. and the rest of the group, and if she couldn't succeed in holding them back on her own, she would call Zylphia in as backup to make sure that the mission was canceled before it even came close to getting started. </p><p>It was necessary to keep Mina from finding out, but even if that was the case, it still bothered S.M. that she was being forced to lie to her sister in such a way. She hated the feeling of guilt that twisted in her stomach at the mere thought, and the act being completed only made her feel worse. Mina had done nothing but support her since their parents left them on their own, but S.M. returned that by lying to her? It felt awful to be so dishonest with somebody that she cared about to such a degree, but what else was she supposed to do?</p><p>S.M. began shuffling through the hallway back to her room, letting one hand drift to her pocket as she felt around for her phone. She simply held it once her fingers clasped around its cool surface, resisting the urge to text Mina everything that was bothering her. S.M. let out a shaky breath as she continued the quest back to her dorm room. The others were counting on her, and she couldn't shatter their trust in her by telling Mina when they were so close to having this all figured out. The stars were so close to aligning in their favor, and once they got to Igni, they would be closer than ever before to driving away the Alight Five. She had to do this. </p><p>Even if it was necessary, that still didn't make S.M. feel any better. She felt sick all of a sudden, but she did her best to bury that feeling as deep as she possibly could. Now wasn't the time to falter. Victory was within her grasp, and she couldn't allow herself to be pulled away when she was so close to finally being out of danger for good. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>December wrapped a bandage around River's arm silently, examining her handiwork shortly afterwards. "I hope that helps at least a little bit. You took quite the beating at Angelwood, I'm afraid... I'm sorry that you had to suffer that way, but at least you're better now. If you need anything from the rest of us, all you need to do is ask," she told them gently. </p><p>River nodded numbly. "I hate this," they murmured. Their voice was just barely loud enough for December to hear. </p><p>December began to put away the rest of the supplies that had gone unused from their daily session of changing out the bandages on River's injuries. "What are you talking about?" she asked carefully. Once she was finished putting everything back where it belonged, she took a seat next to River, a concerned and motherly gaze in her eyes. </p><p>"I don't like going after children. It doesn't feel right. You would hate it if people were trying to go after Cerise, wouldn't you?" River questioned. "I don't like the idea of chasing after somebody just because there's the possibility that they killed Princess Octavia. I haven't heard of anything that would actually convince me that she was the one who did it."</p><p>December was silent at those words for a moment, and she closed her eyes. "I can see what you mean... It is rather unsettling that the king is pressing us into this, but... We don't really have much choice in the matter. He's the king of Igni," she said simply. </p><p>"You're loyal to him then?" River inquired carefully, fear overcoming their gaze. </p><p>December hesitated before shaking her head. "This isn't about loyalty, River. Arguably, it never was. In all truth, some of us are only here because we don't have a choice. Going against the king is something that cannot be forgiven around here, and we can't turn tail and leave easily. King Surion is a vengeful man when he grows upset, so for the sake of survival, it is best to remain on his good side. I would advise you to stay away from things that might upset him. I know that you have a legacy here on Igni, but that can only carry you so far as far as he is concerned," she warned them. </p><p>River was quiet for a few moments at those words. As much as they hated to admit it, December had a point. They wanted nothing more than to run away and hide as far away from the action as possible after that last fight. They had lost control after vowing to remain on top of their power, and they couldn't contain their guilt after everything spiraled into a mess larger than they could ever hope to contain. </p><p>Surion was a dangerous man. Everyone was fully aware of such. He was detached from the people that he ruled, and there were those who said that there was a reason for everything that he did. River didn't want somebody known for his cunning and tough rule turned against them. Even if their father had been a member of the Alight Five before them, they knew that wouldn't take them all the way as far as keeping Surion off their back was concerned. Only so much could be done to stay out of his way. </p><p>"If you want to leave, then I don't blame you for feeling such," December said suddenly, startling River out of their thoughts. She had caught on, it seemed. "You aren't the only one who has thoughts of what lies beyond this kingdom, but... I would like you to be smart about this. Even if you leave us, I will still think of you as a close companion of mine, and I would hate for you to come to harm because you got on the king's bad side. Be wise about whatever you decide to do in the future."</p><p>River nodded slowly, unsure of how they were meant to respond to such. They swallowed nervously, still not moving from the spot where they were sitting. </p><p>December sat down next to them and wrapped a gentle arm around their shoulders. "It's okay, River. I understand that it's hard, but you'll get through this. Be smart and follow your head," December told them. She got to her feet and walked out of the room shortly after. </p><p>December's words echoed in River's head for a while after she was gone. They stared at their hands and watched as they clenched into fists. Be smart and follow their head. They knew what that meant, but they were terrified of confronting that reality so suddenly. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Aurore let out a small sigh and shook her head. She adjusted her hair gently when a particularly rough breeze through the area. "Leviathan, are you getting closer to figuring out what to do now? You've been going through that same process over and over again for hours now," she remarked. </p><p>Leviathan sighed. "Be patient, my young companion. I know exactly what I'm doing. If I wasn't already sure of how to work this, I wouldn't be here doing it as we speak. I've been doing stuff like this for a long time, so I think I know how to manage it when people need to know important information of this nature," he assured her. He went back to swiping through his finger through the air mindlessly. </p><p>Caius watched the two of them silently, unsure of what else he could say that would add anything to the conversation. Nothing seemed to flow naturally to his lips, so he decided to remain silent. He could deal with saying something as soon as he thought of what would possibly contribute to the chat they were having. Caius was far from the type to engage in mindless chatter, and he wasn't about to start just because he was bored given how long Leviathan was taking to figure out what planet their target was on. </p><p>It was impossible to say for sure how many minutes had gone by before Leviathan finally grinned. He looked like a kid in a candy store when he stopped swiping his finger through the air to pump one fist into the sky above his head. "I think that I've figured it out!" he proclaimed boldly. </p><p>Aurore smiled and dashed over to where he was standing. "You had better not be kidding around with us, Leviathan... I don't know what I'll do if you're joking with us, but chances are that you won't like it in the slightest, and I probably won't either," she said. </p><p>Leviathan began to draw a small picture in the air, and his finger created a greater image with each stroke of his finger. When he was finished, Leviathan let out a small sigh and pointed to a small segment of the picture. Caius realized that it was a drawing of a planet, and while he didn't recognize it at first, everything soon came into view. </p><p>When Leviathan's finger made contact with the finished picture, color began to spread throughout it. "Okay. If my estimations are correct, then I know exactly what planet we'll need to search on if we want to figure out where this girl has disappeared to. Unfortunately, I don't think that you're going to like the answer that I'm about to give, because it's going to complicate things for us as soon as we try to look around," he told them. </p><p>"Out with it already," Aurore said, crossing her arms. "We can't plan unless you tell us what planet it is."</p><p>"Igni," Leviathan finally said. "The person we're searching for is on Igni."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Everything gets real next time oh no</p><p>-Digital</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. XIV: To Igni</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The girls arrive on Igni as the investigation for the princess of N-Yx continues.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Luce let out a small sigh as she slung her bag over one shoulder and glanced around at the other girls in her room. The week was finally over, and that meant that the time had come for them to set off to Igni at long last. Luce's stomach twisted over itself with nervousness, but she wasn't going to let herself back down when the time had come for their investigation. If they could get rid of the Alight Five by giving them something else to pay attention, perhaps things would grow easier for them in the future. Some may have called it grasping at straws, but Luce couldn't have cared less. It was their only option, and she was willing to go for it just as she knew the rest of her companions were. </p><p>"I think that we're almost ready," Tanith declared, looking over her notepad with a list of all the supplies they needed for the trip. She tapped her pen against the side of the pad with a small frown. "As far as I can tell, I've checked for everything that we might need multiple times, and I think that we can leave as soon as we're ready to set out."</p><p>"It's so weird to think that we're actually going to do this," S.M. murmured. "I've been thinking about it all week, and I knew that the time would eventually come where we had to set out and take care of business, but... It's still unsettling to know that we're actually going to Igni to investigate."</p><p>"It's either we stay here and wait for the king of Igni to lose his mind or go there to find information that could help us out. This is the best option for all of us," Helena said, though it was clear by the slight quiver in her voice that she was nervous about what was to come. She let out a sigh. "Anneliese and Nebula should be here any second now."</p><p>"I have their bags all packed for when they arrive," Sophia declared, tapping the side of her foot lightly against the two bags that rested next to her. "As soon as they get here, all we need to do is hop through one of Anneliese's portals and wind up on Igni. From there, the investigation will start. We'll have to be careful, but I like to think that we can handle what's to come."</p><p>A knock came at the entrance to the dorm room. Sylvia pulled off her bag and set it off to the side before opening the door, not wanting to make anyone suspicious by the sudden presence of the backpack. Luckily, she didn't need to worry, as the two people on the other side of the door were familiar faces. </p><p>"Hey, Sylvia," Anneliese smiled, gesturing for Nebula to follow her inside as Sylvia opened the door further. Once they were all inside, the door was shut once again. </p><p>"It looks like we're ready to go," Carys grinned as Sylvia put on her bag once again. She picked up Nebula's bag off the floor and pressed it into the girl's hands. "There's not a moment to lose."</p><p>"Here you are, Ann," Iris said, grabbing Anneliese's bag and handing it to her. "We have everything sorted, so whenever you're ready to leave, we'll follow you."</p><p>"I have a bit of a bad feeling about this, but... If you guys know what you're doing, then I'll trust you," Anneliese declared. "Are we positive that we want to do this? Are there really no other options for us?"</p><p>"No. The Alight Five are representatives of the king, and if things continue like this for much longer, the man himself might get involved, and if that happens... Well, let's just say that I've studied enough politics to know that it wouldn't be pretty. At best, the government of Millennia lashes out to get rid of him and keep the people of this planet safe. At worst, a war is declared, and we're forced to fight all over again like we did at the end of last semester. If we want to keep things from escalating, we need to give them something else to pay attention to. We can't hide behind the Starlight Camaraderie forever since they won't always be available to help us out," Tanith declared. She tore the front page off her notepad before tossing it to S.M. with a tense frown. </p><p>S.M. caught it without any issues. Once it was in her hand, she set it on fire, and the note disappeared into nothingness soon afterwards. "Listen, you're not the only one who's worried about what could happen while we're there. In all honesty, there's not much protecting us there, and that's why we're going to have to hide our identities while looking around. Things could very easily go wrong, but what are we supposed to do? Should we just wait for everything to get worse when the Alight Five attack us again?" she asked with a sigh. "I'm not going to do that. If I'm the one they want, then... Well, they're going to see what happens to people who put me on the run. Let's just say that this isn't going to end well for them as soon as we find a way to turn this back around."</p><p>"None of us are happy about how things have been going as of late, so I can't say I'm surprised that we're all bitter over this," Luce murmured, shaking her head. "However, we're doing something, and I think that's the best that we can do at the moment. Remember also that you aren't alone in dealing with this. We're here for each other, and I like to think that we've gotten pretty close since meeting."</p><p>"The power of friendship sure is great," Anneliese grinned, throwing her arms upwards in a grand gesture. "You can call me cheesy all that you want, but the fact remains that it's pretty close to the truth. Now, are we almost ready to go?"</p><p>Tanith nodded. "I already got our excuse across to Zylphia. I hate lying to her, but... I said we were going out for a vacation weekend on Sylvia's home planet to try and calm down given what happened last week. She said that it was a good idea that we got some time off to decompress and told us to stay safe. In other words, she's going to be worried all weekend since she's always been over protective," she declared. </p><p>"Do you think that we can go through this mission without her blowing our cover?" Sylvia asked with a small frown. </p><p>"I'll figure something out. I'm not going to stay behind while you all leave. We know how well that worked out last time," sighed Tanith with a shake of her head. "Remember when Carys got her Isolis and the school was invaded? I refuse to have a repeat of that."</p><p>"I'm glad that we've all decided to go through with this. I was figuring that we'd power through it, but it's nice to have reassurance, I suppose," Helena murmured. "If there's nothing else for us to worry about, let's go on and take care of it."</p><p>Nebula nodded. "I'll set up an illusion set for us that will trigger once we go through the portal to Igni. Anneliese, if you would do the honors..."</p><p>Anneliese grinned and snapped her fingers. A portal appeared in the air nearby, and the girls streamed into it one after another until the dorm room was empty as if they had never been there. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Caius, Leviathan, and Aurore all stepped out of their own portal and onto the surface of Igni. Following Leviathan's discovery that their target was somewhere on the planet, they began strategizing a way to figure out how to find her. In the end, they decided on investigating over the weekend. After all, it was bound to take quite some time to look around, and Caius didn't want to be weighed down by any of the classes he had to teach. </p><p>"I'm glad that this place is still standing," Aurore murmured. "Though perhaps it would be for the best if part of it fell down in the future... This planet is still thick with oppression, and I don't think anything will change until people rise up and show that doing things like that... It's not going to be met with optimism and a smile."</p><p>"Igni is an interesting place, to say the least," Leviathan said with a shrug and a shake of her head. "As for if the definition of interesting is a good or bad thing... I'll let you guys decide, though I feel like you already know exactly what I'm trying to imply here."</p><p>"Let's start looking around. The closer we can get to finding the truth, the better. We don't want to leave the king and queen waiting for too long. I don't want to see them get impatient," Caius pointed out. "Now, Leviathan, do you know where we should start our search now that we're here?"</p><p>Leviathan began to change shapes until he was on all fours as a dog once again. He sniffed at the air before speaking. "She passed through here at some point, but... I feel like it's been a while. We should start following this trail and see where it leads us. She has to have a home around here somewhere, and if that's the case, then all we need to do is find it. Worst case scenario, we'll have to see if she teleported through this place and then figure out where she went afterwards, but it should be manageable," he replied. </p><p>"You sure do know what you're doing," Caius commented. "Have you done something like this before?"</p><p>Leviathan let out a snicker as he returned to his full height as a human. "I'll let you decide on that. I gotta have a few secrets, you know?" he asked. </p><p>"He did this stuff for pay before he was recruited as a Guardian. Lots of planets wanted his surfaces, but he decided on Neo-Yen after a while," Aurore told Caius with a small smile. "It's abnormal for Guardians to wind up in charge of planets that they aren't from, but it does happen from time to time, and I'm happy that it did with him. We wouldn't be on this case if not for it."</p><p>"After all, we're not from N-Yx like you are. However, since I'm a natural tracker, I can figure out lots of things. It's magical what a bit of tracking can do," Leviathan grinned. He closed his eyes for a moment before opening them again and pointing down the street. "Now, let's go that way. I'm pretty sure that she went off down that street at some point, and if we keep following it, we should be able to figure something out."</p><p>"Got it," Caius nodded. He began following after Leviathan with Aurore a few feet behind him. They disappeared into the crowd of the busy streets nearby and continued to follow Leviathan's guidance, praying it would lead them somewhere. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>When the girls stepped out of Anneliese's portal, they were just outside one of the largest cities in Igni. Luce turned her head over her should to watch as the rift they came through disappear before focusing her attention on the city before them. </p><p>"Welcome to the capital of Igni," S.M. declared. She threw her arms out in a grand gesture before looking down at her body. "Ah... It seems that illusion Nebula created is working like a dream."</p><p>Luce tilted her head in confusion before realizing that S.M. was right. All of them were covered in an illusion that made them look like locals of Igni. It was hard to tell everyone apart, Luce had to admit, but she figured that perhaps the voices of the others would make that process easier. After all, even if their appearances had changed, Nebula had left their regular voices intact, likely for this specific purpose of easily identifying each other. </p><p>"We'll have to stick close together," Helena said nervously. "I don't want us to be attacked while we're separated. Aside from S.M., none of us know much about Igni, and it would be hard for us to defend ourselves while we're alone."</p><p>"In all honesty, I wouldn't even say that I know too much about Igni. My childhood had me relatively sheltered from the rest of the planet. I know more about it than the rest of you, but it's still mostly unexplored territory for me as well," S.M. corrected. "It's just another reason for us to be as careful as possible. I don't want you guys getting hurt while we're here."</p><p>"What are we going to be doing first?" Iris questioned, looking to S.M. with a light frown. </p><p>"I can sense the ground and see if we can find the underground pocket where the attack on Octavia took place. From there, we can duck beneath the surface and look around. If we need to, we can ask some locals if they saw anything suspicious around the time of her death. I'm sure that everybody remembers what happened that day given how important she was," S.M. replied. </p><p>"Do you think this is all going to work out for us?" Nebula questioned. "What are we supposed to do if we wind up getting chased by some other people who are looking to get rid of anybody who doesn't belong? I know how Igni works, at least sort of. I did a lot of research before we came here. The higher-up figures can get incredibly hostile if they believe that somebody is coming to hurt them."</p><p>"We'll do our best to stay out of trouble. That's why we aren't sticking out for too long. If we remain on Igni for too long, people might start to get suspicious," S.M. replied. "For now, let's go on and head in there... Also, don't let anybody know that you have magic if possible, alright? Igni's culture is based around suppressing leaths and elevating mages. Common people don't really like mages much, I'm afraid, and they could get clammy and refuse to offer information if they realize that we're mages. Their anger is justified, but it could hamper our investigation if we aren't careful."</p><p>"Lead the way. We trust your judgement here, S.M.," Tanith smiled, nudging her companion gently before pointing to the city ahead. </p><p>S.M. nodded and gestured for everyone to follow after her. She held her head low enough to keep anyone from seeing too much of it. Even with the illusion spell activated, it seemed that she wasn't taking any chances regarding being spotted and potentially recognized. </p><p>The rest of the group followed suit, and S.M. clenched her right hand into a fist. Luce guessed that it was her way of scanning the area to see if they could figure out where the murder took place. She tried not to eye S.M. too much, figuring it would come off as suspicious, but she found it oddly difficult to tear her eyes away. Perhaps her nerves were starting to get to her. </p><p>The party of ten got into the thick of the city soon afterwards. The first that hit Luce about the area was how crowded it was. It seemed almost impossible to walk for a few feet without fearing bumping into someone. Most of the people were rather dirty and looked exhausted, and she frowned to herself. This was how Igni culture was, it seemed. </p><p>Igni was known for despising leaths. Since the dawn of its creation, it was seen as a safe haven for mages while leaths were stomped on. They received little pay and were often forced into heavy labor jobs while mages didn't need to work a day in their lives thanks to tax money going right back towards them. The planet was frowned upon by many others, but it was rare for anyone to ever actually threaten it. Even if Igni was a clear violation of basic decency, it was known for having an impressive army, and the military would not hesitate to march on anyone who treated the planet poorly. Many stayed silent out of fear, and Luce could see why now. Most of these people had already been forced into a state of poverty where they barely had anything, and losing what little they did have left would have been devastating. </p><p>"Octavia was going to change all of this when she took the throne," S.M. murmured, glancing around with a frown of her own. It seemed she had been thinking the same things as Luce. "Leaths are treated so poorly here, and mages are taught from birth that they are naturally superior to leaths, causing the cycle to continue. Octavia wound up learning enough about the planet to realize that was nothing but garbage, but... Before she could do anything about it, she was killed. Whoever did this is going to pay. If she had been able to take the throne, things would have changed for this planet so quickly, but now... Progress could take extra decades, and that might be generous."</p><p>"Who is set to inherit the throne now that Octavia is dead?" Carys questioned carefully, looking around with a nervous expression. "I mean, from what I've heard, the king is on the older side, and if he dies, then there has to be somebody to take up the mantle after his death."</p><p>"I'm not sure. I've been out of the loop as far as royal affairs for quite some time, and I doubt that they're going to be coming out with that information for quite a while. After all, it's not like the mages are going to want to tell the leaths about what's coming. That could give the oppressed people the chance to rise up and defeat them in the inevitable civil war. Igni is built on a pile of sticks, and it could fall through at any moment," S.M. answered. "If I had to guess, I would say that my grandfather is going to pick someone who follows his ideals perfectly."</p><p>"Yeah. He would want his successor to follow in his footsteps as far as suppressing the leaths on this planet," Helena agreed with a small nod. "Even if he died, I'm sure that he would like it if the planet continued on in his image well after his death."</p><p>"Only about ten percent of the population here are mages, but they have all the money. I don't remember the actual estimate as far as riches are concerned, but that ten percent of the population has well over half the money of this planet, leaving the leaths to scrounge for scraps at the bottom of the pyramid. It's a terrible cycle, and Igni is so clearly violating countless outlines of basic rights, but people are too scared to stand up to them just in case it leads to military might being used against them," Tanith declared. </p><p>"I heard that the military is only so expansive because many leaths see it as a chance to escape poverty. They believe that they'll get three meals a day as well as proper housing and some extra money, so they join up despite not wanting to. The conditions are awful, but it's a way for them to find funds, and that's all they can really ask for in this horrible situation without revolting against the mages," Iris went on. </p><p>"Revolution is inevitable here... I'm surprised that Octavia's death didn't cause more of a stir. I'm pretty sure that she was trying to organize something of that nature in the weeks leading up to her death, but the people must be too afraid to speak out now that they don't have her to lead them," S.M. remarked. "All they need at this point is a small push in the right direction, and part of me is wondering if perhaps the time has come for me to nudge this planet towards the light."</p><p>"What do the people think of the Alight Five?" Sylvia questioned. "Because I think I might have a bit of an idea brewing... Scheming time."</p><p>"Even if people hate the king with a burning passion, most of the people of Igni like the Alight Five. Those who have managed to rise up the ranks high enough to serve under them in the military have said nothing but good things. I think I know what you're getting at," S.M. replied. </p><p>"Maybe they can be the ones to lead the revolution," Sylvia suggested with a smile. "It's a small hope, I suppose, but maybe it would help everyone out... Who knows? Maybe they'll be more sensible when they aren't chasing us around, and if that's the case, then we can side with them when the leaths rise up against the mage oppressors. Wouldn't that be a dream world, huh?"</p><p>"Only time will be able to tell if things turn out like that... Sometimes, moving past issues of this nature is much harder than you expect. Igni isn't like Millennia. People here have been actively taught to hate each other just for existing. That's the way things have been done around here for as long as anyone can remember. It's disgusting, but change isn't going to come easy when the platform of hatred has been built for so long," Sophia murmured with a shake of her head. </p><p>"Speaking out against the system puts you in danger too... Igni parades around under the false pretense of being free, hiding its atrocities in plain view as something to be thought of as normal. The cycle is dreadful, and we need some real upheaval to break through it after all this time," Anneliese remarked, glancing around the area. </p><p>S.M. stopped walking and held up the hand that wasn't clasped into a fist. "I think I've found the area... Nebula, could you have the illusions of us walk forward while we go into the ground? Tanith, you're good at masking spells, aren't you? Hide us from view," she instructed. </p><p>Nebula nodded her understanding and directed the illusory masks to keep on walking. Tanith followed S.M.'s direction as well, and a small bubble appeared around the group to keep them from view. S.M. used her earth magic to open the ground around them, and the party all dropped from the main level of Igni's streets onto another outcrop of floor beneath the surface. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Cerise walked through the palace of Igni with a solemn expression on her face. She had been bothered ever since River returned from their mission on Millennia. Surion was growing more aggressive as of late, and sending River off to attack innocent people on Millennia was proof of such. It didn't take a genius to see that he was going too far. </p><p>"Cerise, are you alright?" </p><p>Cerise was snapped out of her thoughts when December appeared behind her. Cerise stopped walking and turned on her heel to face her adopted mother. "Ah... December," she said simply, bowing her head to the older woman. "I'm fine. No need to worry."</p><p>December approached Cerise and wrapped one arm gently around her shoulders. "Cerise, I want to talk to you... There's something that's been bothering me for quite a while now, and I believe that you need to hear about it. Arisu and Eros are not yet aware, but... I want to tell you first."</p><p>Cerise hesitated at those words, her stomach twisting into a knot. There was something about the way December was speaking that bothered her, and she got the feeling that whatever this news was about would be far from good. However, instead of saying any of this, she nodded. "Alright. Let's talk," she murmured. </p><p>December led Cerise away into an isolated room within the palace. She looked out the window as Cerise shut the door behind them. Cerise swallowed dryly. "So... What is it you wanted to talk to me about?" she asked. </p><p>"It's about River," December answered. "I don't think that the Alight Five is going to stand as five members for much longer. I spoke with them after the attack on Angelwood. I believe that their faith in the crown is beginning to waver."</p><p>"What did you tell them then? You know how this planet works," Cerise said, leaving the rest of her message vague and unspoken since she knew December would pick up on it regardless of how much she said. </p><p>"If they get the chance to leave, chances are they will do so, but we cannot make that decision for them. Even if our group shrinks down to four members, we can know that the one who left did so because of their own ambitions. I hesitate to think of how the king will respond, but... If even one person can get away from him, then it's for the best," December murmured. </p><p>Cerise sighed. "I... I don't want him to be in charge anymore. I met the princess before her death. She could have actually changed things around here. I might not be from Igni, but... I still want to se things get better for all the people who are stuck here. Most leaths are too poor to move away, leaving them to suffer here until the system crushes them," she whispered. </p><p>"If I acted on all my impulses regarding what I want to do to this planet... Let's just say that it wouldn't be standing for much longer," December told her simply, refusing to elaborate. "My position as the leader of the Alight Five is a fragile one. The second that the king gets suspicious about who I am or where I come from, everything will fall apart. This is built on a house of cards, and he won't hesitate to blow it all over the second that things start to sway out of his favor."</p><p>"I know that you're right, and I hate to admit it," Cerise said softly with a shake of her head. "There has to be something that we can do... I know that Eros is like you, December. If his secret gets out, then... I know that he would die. You at least know when to hold your tongue as far as anger is concerned, but he is much looser when it comes to releasing his temper."</p><p>"I understand what you are saying... I'll do what I can to keep everything under control. Don't worry too much," December assured her. She started to walk for the door. "I need to get back to my shift, but... Cerise, I want you to know one thing."</p><p>"What is it?" Cerise questioned as a frown crept its way onto her features. </p><p>"The second that you can get out of here... Do it," December instructed firmly. "We both know why you're here. The full truth is still obscured, but... You know exactly what I'm talking about."</p><p>With those words, December left the room, and Cerise was the only one inside. Cerise sighed to herself before leaving as well, the words of her superior echoing in her mind. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Surion sat atop his throne as he usually did when there was a knock at his door. "Enter," he said firmly, knowing exactly who it was without even needing to ask. </p><p>Two people entered the room. The first was Eros, who had a passive yet angry expression on his face. The second was a man with incredibly pale skin with green tints to it. His teeth were all sharpened, and there was something about his red eyes that terrified all who saw him. His hair was green and combed neatly atop his head. His hands had claws, and scales dotted his body here and there. His name was Faerner, and he was a soldier of Igni. </p><p>Faerner was a somewhat odd figure in the eyes of Eros and the rest of the Alight Five. He had appeared randomly roughly a month and a half beforehand, and he remained in the shadows, only appearing when Surion called upon him. Something about Faerner didn't even seem human, and it became clear early on that December was not fond of him, so much so that she tended to avoid him where possible. </p><p>Surion watched as Eros and Faerner walked into the throne room. The two dropped into a kneeling position, and while Eros kept his head low, Faerner dared a glance upwards where the king was sitting as he waited instruction. </p><p>"I believe that we have some intruders," Surion declared. "I received word that a suspicious group was seen walking through one of our cities, and I would like you all to follow after them... We can't have unrest starting in our cities, can we? It would be a recipe for disaster... What if people get ideas? I would like you to get rid of them by any means necessary, even if that means lethal force."</p><p>"Understood, my king," Faerner answered, a devilish grin appearing on his face as he got to his feet. "All will be as you command... After all, you know best."</p><p>Eros glared at Faerner out of the corner of his eye. How was it that Faerner was able to get away with all of this when it would be a death sentence for Eros or anyone else like him? Eros' hand clenched into a fist, and he only backed down when he knew that he was about to break skin. "I understand," he told Surion before rising and leaving the room for himself. </p><p>He may have been a member of the Alight Five, but that meant nothing to him. This was all for one purpose, and he wasn't going to let that get twisted no matter how long he was there in the palace of Igni. The second that things changed, he was going to stop this madness. He didn't know how he had held on for this long, but Eros wasn't going to let it go on for longer than it had to. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>It's terrible how all of this is still relevant today. Humanity is the worst, this is a PSA. </p><p>-Digital</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. XV: Scaled</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>While on Igni, the party is ambushed by Eros and Faerner.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Once the group had all dropped into the hole in the ground, Luce held up one hand, summoning a small orb of light to her palm. She poured more energy into it to ensure that it would illuminate the entire area. </p><p>Overall, the space was rather dark and damp. Water dripped down from cracks in the ceiling, and the ground squelched beneath her feet. Luce cringed and made a mental note to clean her entire outfit violently as soon as she got back to Alitia. She looked around as she attempted not to move too much, wanting to avoid needing to clean anymore than she already would need to. </p><p>There wasn't much to the room. It was on the smaller side, and while the group was able to fit inside comfortably, if anyone else was added into the mix, it would become too cramped incredibly quickly. Nothing of note stuck out to her when she examined the walls and ceiling, and she was starting to wonder if perhaps they had found the wrong place. </p><p>"I wonder if this place could really have any clues for us," whispered Helena. "Look around. There isn't much of anything down here, and if there was something that pointed to what happened to Octavia, chances are it's long gone by now anyways. I know for sure that I haven't found anything of note, and judging by how quiet you all have been up to this point, I would say that you guys haven't seen anything either."</p><p>"There has to be something down here..." whispered S.M. with a shake of her head. "I don't know where else we're supposed to look. Maybe Octavia was in contact with someone leading up to her death. If we don't find anything here, we can ask around about that."</p><p>"It wouldn't surprise me if she did know somebody else, come to think of it," Tanith remarked. "Think about it. She was raised in the same environment that you were. She was meant to hate leaths as part of the Irikai family tradition. You were able to escape that because you have leath blood and learned that it was alright to be a leath, but... In normal circumstances, the same would not apply to Octavia. Somebody must have pushed her over the edge to change her ways."</p><p>"That makes sense," Anneliese murmured. "If she really was in contact with somebody else, then we have to find them and talk to them! Of course, I don't have the slightest idea how we're supposed to find somebody who interacted with her to such a degree. For now, we should just look around here and see if we can find anything. If we had to go back to the drawing board as far as research is concerned, we would need to go back to Millennia and wait until we had a new plan, and we're already here, so we might as well keep on with what we're doing for the time being."</p><p>Nebula glanced around with a small frown. "I don't know how to describe it, but... Something is weird about this place. I feel like we're being watched," she whispered. </p><p>"That would probably be because you are."</p><p>Luce let in a sharp gasp as she turned around to see where the sound was coming from. A pair of people appeared in the gentle light of the room. She recognized the first one as Eros, but the second man was unfamiliar to her. He seemed more like a snake than a person, and when he smiled, a thin, forked tongue slipped out from between his tongue to flick a few times before retreating. </p><p>"Who the hell are you?" S.M. questioned, her eyes narrowing at the newcomer. She kept her gaze trained on the snake-like man since she already knew about Eros. </p><p>"You can call me Faerner," the man replied with a light shrug. "I'm a servant of the one and only King Surion... And because I am so loyal to my king, I am going to have to kill you here today. Surely you must understand my perspective here... I don't have any options, not that I would have chosen differently anyways."</p><p>"Transform, everyone!" Sylvia exclaimed. Nobody hesitated in changing forms into Isolis or Illunae. The other two mages didn't bother to do so, instead remaining in their default forms. </p><p>Eros shook his head as he pulled his axe away from his back and fell into a fighting stance. "You shouldn't have come here," he whispered to them. "If you had been smart, you would have left Igni alone and stayed on Millennia. However, since you decided to cross the barrier into this world... Well, I'd be happy to finish you off. The king demands that you mage filth die, and I'm happy to finish you off!"</p><p>There was something about the way that Eros spat out the words 'mage filth' that made Luce shudder. It was an unprecedented hatred that she had never seen or heard before, and it chilled her to her very core. She didn't know how to describe the weird way his words made her feel, but she didn't think that was important in the moment. Getting out of this fight without being skewered by his axe felt far more pressing. </p><p>Eros was the first one to lunge forward. He slashed his axe through the air at Sophia, who jumped in the air to avoid it. She pressed her hand to the ceiling, cringing when she felt the melted sludge touch her skin. However, plants soon began to sprout from the cracks of the pavement from the ground above, and they started weaving their way downwards towards where Eros was standing. </p><p>Eros was far too focused on pressing forwards at first to realize what was happening. He swiped his axe through the air once more, this time aiming at Sylvia, who ducked beneath the strike and pressed her hand to his ankle. White lightning began to crackle on his skin, passing away from Eros and into Sylvia. </p><p>Sylvia began to drain energy from Eros. He groaned to himself, but he didn't seem to be particularly bothered by such an effort at first. He raised his other leg and slammed it into her chest, sending Sylvia flying backwards. She let out a scream of pain, but she managed to right herself using her wings before she hit the wall. White energy continued to spark around her fingertips, and she launched it at Faerner. </p><p>Faerner smirked to himself before ducking down below the hit. He pulled a knife from the sheath at his waist and shook his head. "If you believe that I will go down easily, you will find soon that you are very much mistaken," he whispered. His voice sounded inhuman in a strange way that was difficult to describe. Some syllables were drawn out longer than others, specifically those that contained an 's' sound. It made Faerner sound as if he was hissing gently, and it sent a shiver up Luce's spine. </p><p>Anneliese summoned a circle of blades around herself. She held her hand above her head before launching the swords at Faerner. He dodged them all without any issues, swaying from side to side to keep the blades from striking him. Instead, they all ran into the wall behind him. They shattered into a puff of golden dust when they made contact with the wall of the small room, and Faerner laughed, shaking his head. "Pathetic," he whispered. "You truly believe that such a weak display will be able to defeat me? I don't understand you fools."</p><p>Luce poured a small amount of extra power into the light orb in her hand. She tossed it up the ceiling, let it fester at the center of the roof. It illuminated the room, but the shadows were still harsh due to how the light was positioned. </p><p>"You shouldn't have come here, you monsters!" Eros shouted. He used his axe to create a column of fire that pierced the ceiling of the area.</p><p>Luce gasped and covered her head as the flames got rid of the roof entirely. The ground above was destroyed and began to cave in as fire spiraled towards the sky, creating a beacon of angry red energy. </p><p>Luce held up her hands, creating a large sphere of yellow energy that the debris fell onto. The rock was destroyed when it made contact with the shield, but the action drained her much more than she would care to admit. She cringed at the power she had to pour into creating the shield, and relief washed through her when she was able to pull it down. </p><p>"So much for not drawing attention to ourselves," Nebula whispered. She blocked a strike from Eros using a shield of dark purple energy before lashing out shortly afterwards. Eros dodged the attack without much issue and kicked her in the stomach. Nebula was sent sprawling backwards, hitting the wall of the underground area. She stopped moving shortly afterwards, and she transformed out of Isolis into her regular clothes again. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Leviathan had been leading Caius and Aurore through the streets of Igni for a few minutes now. They were getting closer to their target, that much was clear, but they were also growing rather bored. There hadn't been anything of note in a while, and Leviathan let out a sigh and shook his head. </p><p>"It sucks that we can't really do much aside from just wait until we get lucky," he commented. He tucked his hands behind his head and looked up to the sky. Leviathan closed his eyes for a moment, taking in the atmosphere before continuing onwards. </p><p>Caius and Aurore continued to follow him, but they didn't say anything in response to Leviathan's open complaints. Instead, they remained silent, focusing on putting one foot in front of the other as they navigated the streets of Igni in search of something, anything, that might turn out to be a clue. </p><p>Aurore suddenly let out a gasp. "Hey, guys! Stop for a moment!" she exclaimed. </p><p>Leviathan and Caius both stopped walking at her instruction, and they looked back at her to see what was wrong. Aurore pointed to the sky when she realized that she had caught their attention, and her finger indicated a large column of fire that had formed in the sky from seemingly nowhere. </p><p>"That looks like it's coming out of the ground," Caius remarked. "It disappears into the streets of the city... But it's definitely close."</p><p>"We should go and investigate," Leviathan suggested. "I don't know what's going on, but we have to make sure that there isn't anybody hurt over there."</p><p>"Fire magic is pretty common here on Igni among the mage population... Perhaps one of the mages has gotten into an altercation," Caius pointed out. "I don't know if we want to get in the middle of that... It would expose that we're here, and it could put the investigation in jeopardy."</p><p>"I'm a bit concerned about that too, but it can't hurt to investigate briefly. I'd rather regret going to see what's happening rather than regret not looking into it," Aurore told him. She closed her eyes, and light began to surround her, starting from the bottom of her feet and ending at the top of her head. A pair of grand wings sprouted from her shoulders as her Inlustris form was revealed to the other two. </p><p>Caius transformed as well, though no wings appeared on his back. Leviathan, on the other hand, elected not to use his regular form. He began to change shape, and after a few seconds, a phoenix stood in his place. He let out a mighty cry towards the sky before taking off into the air. Aurore kicked off the ground and began flying soon afterwards, and Caius sprung from the street to land on a nearby rooftop. He didn't have the same advantage of flight that the other two did, but he could still travel incredibly quickly thanks to his speed advantage that came with his manifestation. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Luce burst through the barrier between the underground and main areas of the street. She glanced around, trying to figure out how she could possibly catch Eros or Faerner off guard. It was clear that the two mages very easily outclassed the rest of the group without even needing to transform, and it wouldn't be long before the situation grew worse. She was going to have to come up with something fast. </p><p>Sophia ran over to where Nebula was sitting and pressed her hands to the side of her friend's arm. Nebula didn't stir, but green magic covered her body, acting as a minor healing spell that got rid of the bruises from her rough fall. Sophia snapped her fingers, and plants sprouted from the ground that picked the unconscious girl up, moving her away from the underground corner. </p><p>Meanwhile, Iris and Tanith cornered Eros. Iris created a shield made out of metal as Eros swung once again. When the axe made contact with her shield, Iris smirked to herself, and she imagined her control extending outwards from her shield and towards the axe. </p><p>As she did so, the axe began to distort itself, and the blades folded in on each other, creating a horribly disfigured weapon. Eros pulled away in surprise, staring at the broken weapon angrily. He held it to his chest as fire kicked up around himself, and he rushed at Iris. Even with his weapon broken, the charge was enough to knock her off her feet, sending her straight into where Sophia was located near Nebula. The two were left tangled together in a pile of limbs. </p><p>Tanith moved closer to Eros cautiously, and her blue eyes gained a purple tint. She held out her left hand, and the air around Eros' neck began to distort. It clamped down on his throat, and Eros could only muster a gasp of shock. He dropped his axe and began to claw at the invisible force holding him in place. His attempts were ultimately unsuccessful, but he continued on regardless. </p><p>"You will not find victory here today," Tanith whispered. Her voice had taken on a much deeper quality, and it sounded odd coming out of her small and fragile form. She tightened her fingers, and Eros let out a breathless wail. </p><p>Faerner, on the other hand, was left to face Anneliese and Helena. Anneliese created a pair of swords and looked to Helena, nodding briefly. Helena nodded in return as Sylvia joined them in cornering Faerner. Anneliese disappeared into a portal that had suddenly appeared beneath her feet. </p><p>Sylvia let out a fierce cry and shoved her arms forwards, white energy crackling along her fingers. The magic hit Faerner head on, but he didn't even flinch. Instead, a light chuckle left his lips, and he brushed off a small amount of dirt that had fallen on his shirt. "Was that supposed to hurt?" he questioned. He shook his head in disappointment. "Here I thought students of the great Alitia would be capable of more."</p><p>Faerner surged forwards with such unexpected speed that Sylvia scarcely had time to react. He grabbed her by the wrist and threw her into Helena. The fire mage had been preparing a spell of red power, but it was blasted off course when she was sent sprawling to the ground. The fire hit the ceiling, and it sizzled out ineffectively on contact. </p><p>Faerner saw Eros struggling because of Tanith, and he sighed with a shake of his head. "Pathetic," he murmured. He moved over to where the enchantress of air was floating in the air, and he raised one arm. </p><p>His limb grew longer, and it began to wind around Tanith's legs until she was trapped in place. In a moment of surprise, she released her grasp on Eros' neck, and the Alight Five general was released with a gasp for air. He stumbled at first before righting himself, and with a swift jump into the air, he delivered a punch to Tanith's torso. The air was knocked out of her as Faerner released her, and she slammed into the wall. </p><p>A portal appeared underneath Faerner, and he looked down at the last moment to see swords dancing from the rift to slash upwards at him. However, he didn't have time to react, and he received three cuts in the following seconds. One was to the outer side of his right leg, another to his left shoulder, and a third to the front of his left thigh. Despite the slashes, Faerner didn't react with any sound, instead glaring at Anneliese when she appeared from another rift. He lunged for her, but she used a sword to fend him off. Faerner landed in a crouching position, still clearly upset with Anneliese for managing to injure him to such a degree. </p><p>Luce surveyed the surrounding area, starting to grow desperate as more members of the group went down. Sophia, Nebula, Sylvia, Helena, Iris, and Tanith were all out of commission already, and the fight had barely just begun. There was no way that Luce, S.M., Anneliese, and Carys would be able to fend off Faerner and Eros. Luce wasn't sure what level Faerner was at, but she was starting to believe already that he was at Inlustris much like Eros. This wasn't going to end well for them, in other words. </p><p>Eros' axe was still heavily distorted, but he wasn't letting that stop him from attacking. He moved over to where S.M. was levitating and began swinging without much sense of direction. S.M. ducked beneath the first hit and planted her hands firmly into the ground. Earth began to form around her fists, forming large gauntlets. She solidified them quickly, able to jump up before Eros tried to hit her once again. S.M. poured fire magic into them as well, allowing veins of fiery red to flow through the gauntlets. </p><p>With every strike from Eros, S.M. threw her hands up to block them. Her gauntlets were surprisingly durable despite being made from rocks in the mushy cavern. Even with this advantage, she wasn't letting herself get too cocky, remaining wary of everything that he did. S.M. glanced around, trying to find something that might be able to help her out. Eventually, her gaze found Luce, and she turned back to Eros a second later. </p><p>Luce understood the message without any issues. She took a deep breath and snapped her fingers. A bow made from pure light energy appeared in her left arm, and she grabbed it without a second's hesitation. Lewith had been teaching her how to fire using a bow and arrow over break, and even if she wasn't incredible at it yet, she saw that it would be best to attack using those skills in that moment. Eros would notice if she got too close, so she would simply have to keep her distance instead. </p><p>The arrow formed a few moments later, and Luce fired as soon as she lined everything up. The arrow spiraled through the air, and Luce watched it intently. A gasp left her lips when it hit her target. Eros was struck in the torso, just above his right hip. Immediately, he stopped his assault of S.M., and he stumbled backwards. His arm curled around his injury, prompting him to drop his axe. Eros immediately glared up at Luce, but it was clear by the sweat beading on his forehead that he didn't have the energy to pursue her. </p><p>S.M. saw that Eros had dropped his axe, and she leaned down to pick it up. The action was somewhat clunky because of her gauntlets, but she still managed to pull it off. A small smirk appeared on her face once it was in her hands. She kicked off the ground and launched into the sky, keeping the axe out of Eros' grasp. </p><p>Eros gasped and reached out for the axe with his left arm. He clearly wasn't going to be reaching it, but he made the attempt nonetheless. "Get back here!" he roared, though it was clear that he understood that S.M. wasn't going to be returning to his side anytime soon. There was an odd desperation in his voice, and Luce didn't know how to place it. What she did know was that there was something peculiar about Eros, and she was starting to wonder if there was something she wasn't yet aware of regarding him. </p><p>Faerner glared at Eros and shook his head. "You've all crossed a line here today," he whispered. "You've done something that cannot be forgiven, and I would be happy to act as the agent of the king to stomp you out now."</p><p>Carys responded to this by sending out a blast of blue magic at Faerner, but he stepped to the side without any issues, a frown on his face. He turned to face her fully, and then he began to glow. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>"We have to be getting closer," Caius murmured. It had been a few minutes since the spiral of red flame had disappeared from the sky, and it had long since disappeared, but he kept his gaze trained on the area where the fire had come from. There had to be something at the origin point of the energy. It was just a matter of time before they got there, and he had a feeling he wasn't going to like what he found whenever he arrived. </p><p>"I have a bad feeling about this," Aurore admitted, flying alongside Caius. "There was something about that fire that seemed off to me, though I don't know how to describe it... I just hope that nothing is going too wrong there, whatever's happening."</p><p>"I haven't seen any people in town for ages," Leviathan remarked, flapping his wings. He was still in his phoenix form, making him larger than Caius and Aurore combined. He was slower than his companions, but his vision was much better now that he was a bird. </p><p>"I suppose that everyone began to flee the scene as soon as they heard that sound or saw the fire," Aurore whispered. "That only makes me feel worse, to be honest. I don't know what's going on, but I somehow doubt that we're going to like it."</p><p>"If something is going wrong, then we'll just have to show the villains in the situation what's what. I mean, we have a member of the Starlight Camaraderie on our side! Plus, the Guardians of Neo-Yen are known for being incredible on the battlefield," Leviathan reminded the other two. He was doing a surprisingly good job of remaining cool-headed in the face of this crisis. Caius couldn't help but think to himself how odd it was to be reassured that everything was going to be fine by a giant phoenix. He certainly never would have seen his life taking this sort of turn a week beforehand. </p><p>Caius fell silent at Leviathan's words. He could feel a knot rising in his stomach. No matter how used to fighting he got over the years as a member of the Starlight Camaraderie, he couldn't help the concern that still came to him before certain battles. It was the same feeling he had experienced before marching off to war against Iago the previous semester, the same one that he had come to know well fighting in the War of Starlight so many years ago. </p><p>At long last, the group arrived at the scene of the fight. Caius looked down, stopping in his tracks. He gasped, his eyes going wide. There were clearly some low-level mages with wings fighting, but that wasn't what caught him by surprise. Among the fighters was a girl with a familiar mop of blue hair. His hand clenched into a fist. </p><p>"Zylphia is not going to be happy," he murmured as he stared at Luce. He jumped off the building he was perched upon and dove into the fight, Aurore and Leviathan hot on his trail. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Faerner was covered in a dull green energy with a sinister aura to it. The magic pulsed lightly, and he began to change shape. His limbs attached themselves to his body, and scales sprouted across his skin. Before anyone knew what had happened, Faerner was replaced by a snake. </p><p>"What the hell?!" Carys shouted. She created another beam of ice magic and blasted it at him, but Faerner avoided it, snaking around the beam. </p><p>Faerner continued to dodge every hit that came his way, and he made his way behind Carys. She whirled around to face him, but she never got the chance to attack once again. </p><p>Time seemed to slow down as Faerner opened his mouth, a hissing sound leaving his reptilian lips. Venom glinted on his fangs, and he sunk his teeth into Carys' leg. She let out a scream of pain, and her face instantly grew pale. It was as if her strength left in an instant, and her wings gave out, forcing her to collapse onto the ground. Her Isolis form melted away, leaving her in regular clothing in the dirty ground. </p><p>Luce gasped at the sight. She tossed aside her bow, creating a sword from light magic before diving down to swing at Faerner. The snake transformed back into a man while she was on the way down, and he held up one hand. His fingers coated themselves in scales, allowing him to deflect the blow from the sword without much effort. Faerner continued to block every attack from Luce without even breaking a sweat, a light smirk playing at his lips. </p><p>"You have failed," Faerner hissed, his tongue snaking out from between his teeth mockingly. He dealt a heavy punch to Luce's shoulder, and she was sent sprawling backwards. Luce hit the ground, her head slamming into a jagged remnant of the ground that had crumbled earlier in the fight. She could tell that blood was flowing from the wound without bothering to check, and while she attempted to push herself up once again, all her attempts ended in failure when her limbs refused to properly move. </p><p>Faerner bent down and picked up Carys. He glanced around when he saw that most of the group had recovered from their earlier injuries and were charging him. A scoff left his lips as he hoisted Carys up onto his left shoulder. Faerner stomped his foot into the ground, and energy passed through the earth. </p><p>The power that Faerner poured into the area allowed him to knock all the girls off their feet. Yells echoed throughout the area, but Faerner didn't respond aside from laughing. "You lost this battle. Stay away from Igni," he said simply. He walked over to where Eros was hunched over on the ground. "Let's go, Eros... We have business to attend to."</p><p>Faerner drew a circle in the air in front of himself before hoisting Eros up by the collar using his available hand. He threw his ally inside before looking to where the weakened Luce was laying. "Farewell, children," Faerner whispered. He stepped inside, bringing Carys with him, just before the hole in the sky mended itself and vanished. </p><p>Caius jumped into the hole and looked around. "What the hell were you thinking?!" he roared, his voice echoing around the cavern. "You shouldn't have come here on your own!"</p><p>"Carys... She's gone!" yelled Helena. She was holding her hands over her mouth and trembling. Tears were forming in her eyes, and they threatened to spill over at any moment. "We have to go after her! She needs us!"</p><p>"Look at yourselves. You're too injured to carry on," Aurore remarked, gesturing around the area. She approached Nebula before leaning down and picking up the unconscious girl. "There's nothing you can do right now. Even if we tried to go after them, it would certainly be into an enemy's trap. We must return to Millennia before the situation gets any worse."</p><p>Leviathan landed on the ground, letting out a mighty cry. He spread his fiery wings, and gentle red energy spread out from his body. Dust landed upon the nine injured girls, starting to mend their wounds. Luce felt a tingling feeling in her head, but the healing wasn't enough to convince her to get to her feet. Leviathan transformed back to normal, his wings folding in around his body before he emerged from the mass of feathers as his regular self. "Aurore is right," he said sternly. "We must retreat."</p><p>"But what about my sister?!" Helena wailed. She ran to the place where Carys had been when Faerner attacked her, tears freely flowing down her cheeks. "We have to do something! If we leave her here for too long, they could kill her! Don't you care about that?!"</p><p>"I want her to be safe just as much as you do," Caius told her, keeping his voice even yet threatening. His anger was not forgotten, and it was clear that it would not be disregarded for quite some time. "However, I also know that you are all hurt. Look at Nebula and Luce. If we stay here for much longer, they may not survive. We can return to gather information about Carys later."</p><p>"If they aim to use her as a hostage, then she's safe for the time being. If she dies, they'll lose their bargaining chip," Aurore said next. She drew a circle in the air and gestured to it. "Hurry. The king could send reinforcements. That man could return after he finishes dropping off his companions. Get through."</p><p>Luce tried to get up once again, but she knew that it was pointless. She felt arms wrap around her torso, and she was met with the stern gaze of Leviathan. "It's going to be alright," he whispered, sounding oddly reassuring in spite of his sharpened teeth and peculiar aura. </p><p>Luce's consciousness began to give out, and she felt tears in her eyes. They had failed. Damn it all, they had failed. Carys was in the hands of the enemy. A sob wracked her body as she fell into sleep, and the last thing she heard were Helena's wails and screams as she drifted into slumber... </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>In case there was any doubt about this series not being aimed at kids before now, take this chapter. Nice and dark, huh? </p><p>I've been waiting for this particular chapter for a while. I couldn't wait to use this devious cliffhanger. I'm just the worst, aren't I?</p><p>Also, this update is a special one! This is a birthday update for a good friend of mine, Niamh! Extra-attentive people will probably recognize that name, and it's because she's a conspirator of mine when it comes to Alitia. She made Carys, Helena, Nebula, and Eros, just to name a few characters of hers, and it was her birthday yesterday. Happy birthday, Niamh! You are appreciated, my epic homie! </p><p>-Digital</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. XVI: Gemini</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The girls mourn the loss of their friend at Alitia while Carys herself has a startling revelation.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A few hours had passed since the group first arrived back from Igni. Luce was sitting alongside her roommates, Anneliese, and Nebula in the nurse's office of Sierra. Since Leviathan was staying there, he thought it would be a fine place to relax. Besides, Fromir was there, and he was undoubtedly going to be worried sick when he heard the news. </p><p>Nebula and Luce hadn't been awake for long, just over half an hour. The healer of the school, someone Luce knew nothing about, had eased them back into consciousness. Now, all of the girls were sharing the couch in the office, waiting for things to get bad. </p><p>Caius was mad enough, and he had stepped out into the hallway to try and cool himself off after learning of what the girls had done. Leviathan had left to fetch Zylphia and Minerva. Aurore was the only one of the trio who was still in the nurse's office, but she was deadly silent, not daring to say a word. </p><p>Nobody spoke up, as a matter of fact. The only sounds that could be heard came from Helena, who had buried her face in her hands as she cried softly. She attempted to suppress her sobs, but that just made Luce's heart twist from guilt more. </p><p>They had failed. They had taken on the weight of the world with hopes of fixing things, and they failed. Now, Carys was trapped on Igni with Faerner and the Alight Five, and who could say what was going to happen to her next? They had been caught investigating Octavia's death, so bad things were bound to happen to her. </p><p>The door slowly creaked open, and Luce could have sworn her heart skipped a beat. Zylphia and Minerva walked in, followed shortly afterwards by Leviathan. He watched as the two women settled in before leaving, taking Aurore with him.</p><p>The moment the door shut, all hell broke loose. "What the hell were you thinking?" Minerva questioned. Her voice was quiet, though that seemed to make her even more threatening than if she had tried to yell at them. </p><p>Luce already knew that there was no way that they could defend their actions. Even if they had acted with good intentions, they had gotten themselves into this situation, and it wasn't something they could worm their way out of. Luce swallowed dryly and stared down at the ground, unwilling to meet the gaze of Zylphia or Minerva. </p><p>"You knew that it was dangerous to go there, but you did it anyways, and look at what happened," Zylphia pointed out. "Even if there was no protocol against it, I still believe that this was a poor choice. You knew that it would be risky to charge into Igni, a place full of people that have been actively pursuing you ever since the semester began."</p><p>"One student was taken hostage by them. Do you have any idea what this could mean for us?" Minerva asked. "The reputation of the Millennium Six is going to take a serious turn for the worse. People find us to be trustworthy, but losing a student does not fall into that category."</p><p>Despite the hammering of her heart in her chest, Luce managed to speak up. "We're sorry," she murmured, unsure of what else she could say. In truth, she was positive that there were no words that could make this situation better, so she didn't bother to reassure them that everything was going to be fine. It would cause a headache that she wasn't ready for, though it was perhaps presumptuous of her to assume that she had any entitlement to how the punishment for these actions would go. </p><p>Zylphia shook her head. "We're going to find a plan to get Carys back. That much I can promise. However, you girls are not to leave your respective campuses until after this has been resolved. There will be no traveling to other worlds," she said, her voice heavy and stern. "Regardless of if you thought this was for the best or not, you did something incredibly dangerous. I will not allow something of this nature to repeat."</p><p>"We'll handle things with Igni, but you girls had best not get into any trouble," Minerva scowled. "It's bad enough that they already took one of you, and we don't know what their plan is. Anything could happen from here, and it's just a matter of time before hell breaks out on that monstrous excuse for a planet. Don't do anything to provoke anyone. Do you understand me?"</p><p>There was silence for a few seconds, and nobody was sure how to respond to Minerva's words. Luce bit her lip, not wanting to see the fiery expression on Minerva's face. </p><p>Red light exploded in Luce's vision, and she realized that the edges of Minerva's hair had caught fire. "Do you understand me?" the Sacred Heart headmistress repeated, her voice suddenly gaining the aspect of irritation that she had avoided up to that point. </p><p>All nine of the girls nodded, and the flames receded. "Good," Minerva murmured. "Nebula, Fromir wishes to speak with you now. Your father will see you when we return to Sacred Heart. Anneliese, I'm sending you back with Leviathan. The rest of you are going with Zylphia now. Remember what happened here today, and don't even think about getting into trouble again. We can't afford to see anyone else suffer."</p><p>With those words, Minerva turned on her heel, leaving the room behind. As soon as she was gone, the tension seemed to lessen, but Luce only felt that way until she saw the stern, borderline emotionless expression on Zylphia's face. Luce stared up at her head teacher, not sure of what was coming next but knowing she was going to hate it. </p><p>"We're leaving," Zylphia murmured. She snapped her fingers and created a portal from nothingness. She gestured towards it, watching as each of the girls walked through it before exiting as the last person in the stream. Once she was through, the portal disappeared, leaving Anneliese alone in the office to wait for Leviathan. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>The first thing Carys realized when she opened her eyes was that she couldn't move. </p><p>She was on the ground somewhere, slumped over on her side, but she couldn't say much besides that. Her vision was blurred slightly, and her legs felt numb. No matter how much she told her muscles to move, they failed her, and she was left to lay dormant. </p><p>Stones surrounded her, and she figured out by identifying the outline of steel bars that she was in a prison cell of some sort. Tears appeared in her eyes as she remembered what had happened in the fight before she fell unconscious. She had to be on Igni. The enemy had taken her hostage for some reason, but what could it have been?</p><p>Perhaps she was going to be seen as a bargaining chip in exchange for S.M. due to her heritage. After all, she was a princess, and she ranked higher in the class system than S.M. as a result. It wouldn't be hard for the Igni royalty to demand a trade, and if that happened, then there wouldn't be anything that the Millennium Six could do. She was going to be manipulated thanks to the blood that ran through her veins, and she hated it. </p><p>Carys tried to force her lips to move, but she found that she couldn't do so. The snake bite came to mind, and she figured that the fangs of her foe had caused her to grow weak until she couldn't do much aside from wait there. She certainly couldn't move, so that would make it easier for the enemy to take her hostage in the mess of the previous fight. </p><p>Carys closed her eyes, seeing no point in keeping them open. She was exhausted. She tried to think of another reason for why the people of Igni would want to keep her there, and she realized that there could have been more to it than a mere exchange of people. </p><p>Igni was known for being notoriously anti-leath. Her home planet was heavily biased towards those with stronger powers, but leaths were still treated with basic respect. If Igni was trying to incite a war, that could happen with her death. </p><p>If Carys was killed, the Ignite royal family could have used it in a variety of ways. First, they could blame it on leaths, starting a violent war between leaths and mages. Second, they could provoke her people into attacking, allowing Igni to crush them with superior military might and take over further land to assert their anti-leath propaganda. Third, they could drag Millennia into the fighting, bringing the Millennium Six along with them, which would allow them to not only get S.M. for execution but wipe out the rest of the group that she had been fighting with as well. </p><p>No matter what they decided to do, things were not looking good for her, and the ideas made Carys feel sick. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Fromir was pacing in his office when the door slowly opened. Minerva lightly pushed Nebula into the room before shutting the door behind her, leaving the two siblings alone with each other. </p><p>Fromir immediately rushed towards Nebula, wrapping his arms around her. Nebula didn't return the gesture, instead merely standing there as she allowed Fromir to embrace her. The two were silent, and Nebula didn't bother to speak up. </p><p>Fromir pulled away, a sigh leaving his lips. "We need to talk," he murmured. He sat down on a small couch pushed against the wall in his office, allowing Nebula to take a seat beside him. </p><p>Nebula followed his wishes, still refusing to meet his eyes. She looked at the ground, still and unmoving as Fromir spoke up once again. "Do you have any idea how worried I was?" he asked gently. </p><p>"We barely know each other though," Nebula grumbled, not acknowledging him beyond these bitter words. </p><p>Fromir was taken aback by such, but he did his best to hide it. "Nebula, I know that I wasn't around while you were growing up, but... I want to make that up to you. I was here while you were living with your father, and I know that, but I want to finally get to know you once again. I thought that my chance to get to know you had been taken out from under my feet. Do you have any idea how worried I was that we would never get the chance to grow closer?" he went on. </p><p>Nebula didn't respond, continuing to look at the ground silently. She blinked once, trying to get rid of her tears before they fell. </p><p>"Why did you do it?" Fromir questioned softly. "At least answer me that."</p><p>Nebula didn't look up when she spoke. "We thought that if we could find the truth behind Princess Octavia's death, we could stop all this fighting," she replied. "We didn't know that those two would show up."</p><p>Fromir sighed. "I understand... But you have to promise me that you won't do anything like that again. Even if you didn't expect to be attacked, the risk was simply far too great, and I don't want to see you go through something like that again," he told her. </p><p>Nebula nodded numbly. "Fine," she murmured. </p><p>Fromir pulled her in for another hug. She didn't return the gesture, but she didn't pull away from him either. "I'm sorry for not being there," he whispered. "Please... Don't die on me before we can get to know each other, alright?"</p><p>"Alright," Nebula said quietly. She closed her eyes, allowing herself to rest her head on Fromir's shoulder. </p><p>The two sat like that for a while, simply being together after the threat of death had frightened them so. Fromir's eyes began to water, but he didn't bother to wipe them away, instead merely letting the droplets fall onto Nebula's hair. She felt them on her head but didn't move to get rid of them, too tired to bother. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>
  <em>"Carys! Come here, my darling!"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The voice of Dolores Palpatine, cut through the young girl's head. She turned around to see her mother rushing towards her, a smile on her face. "We need to get you ready for the upcoming party. Many lovely young princes are coming to see our powerful little princess," Dolores explained. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Carys had been sitting on the floor of her room, brushing through Helena's hair with a delicate comb. Her sister had recently dyed her hair a fierce magenta color, and Carys found it incredibly fascinating to decorate with small crystals of ice. Helena was regularly against such, but she was willing to take any excuses to spend more time with her sister. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Ever since Carys' magical strength had been proven to be stronger, Helena grew used to being ignored. It was par for the course on Etruna. The strongest sibling was always set to rule, and any others were cast aside. Being ignored outright was regular for her, but Carys wasn't fond of such. Carys was the only one to see how much isolation bothered her. Regardless of the way their parents would chastise her, Carys would always find time to spend with her twin sister. It was the least she could do given the loneliness of her other half. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Dolores took Carys by the upper arm and pulled her to her feet, causing Carys to drop her comb. "Come on! We have a party to get ready for tonight," Dolores went on. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Do you need anything from me?" Helena questioned with a light tilt of her head. Even after years of being cast aside, she still held onto the vain hope that perhaps their parents would change things and finally choose to acknowledge her after ages of ignorance. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Dolores regarded Helena with a degree of disappointment and disgust. "No," she replied bluntly. "Come along, Carys. We have other things to take care of."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Helena's face fell at her mother's words, and she looked down. "Have a nice evening, Carys," she whispered. She rose to her feet, picking up Carys' comb and looking at it somberly. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I'll see you later, Helena!" Carys cried out as Dolores dragged her from the room, shutting the door behind her. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Dolores sighed when they were out in the hall. "Honestly, Carys! How many times have I told you to not spend your time with filth weaker than you?" she asked with a shake of her head. "She isn't worth your time. You need to focus on when you will be taking over this planet as its queen. You are a princess with power unmatched, and it is time that you start acting like it!"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Carys nodded slowly. "Alright..." she said softly. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"You are better than that pathetic excuse of a sister you have, and it's time for you to embrace it. Now, let's get going. We have things to do," Dolores continued, continuing to pull Carys alongside her. "We have to get ready, and we don't have all night!" </em>
</p><p>~~~~~ </p><p>Luce sat on the couch in the main area of the dorm apartment. She glanced around, unsure of what to do. Her gaze fell on the door to Helena's room, and she let out a small sigh. </p><p>Ever since they got back, Helena had been distant. It wasn't a surprise given what had happened, but it was unsettling to see someone so radiant and kind suddenly plummet into such deep sorrow. Luce longed to reach out and comfort her, but she didn't know what she was supposed to say. What could anybody say to cheer her up? Would anything even work?</p><p>S.M. frowned before getting to her feet. "I'm going to talk to her," she declared. "It's my fault that we went to Igni in the first place. If things were different with my relationship to the Alight Five, Carys wouldn't have been taken."</p><p>"It isn't your fault. Blame the person who framed you for all of this," Sophia piped in, her voice soft yet intense. </p><p>Tanith was sitting on the floor, examining the distorted mess that was Eros' axe. S.M. had brought it back with them after the fight, leaving a member of the Alight Five without his best weapon. It was twisted beyond imagination, but it was a minor victory, the only one given how horribly the fight had ended for Carys. "Go on and see if she's open to talking. If she needs anything, tell her that we're here," Tanith told S.M. with a light sigh. "I don't want us all to crowd and overwhelm her, but... All I want to do is go and make sure that she's going to be alright."</p><p>S.M. nodded in response and walked over to the door. She knocked gently on it, and while she didn't receive an answer, she walked inside anyways, letting the door shut quietly behind her. </p><p>Helena was lying on her bed facing away from the entrance to the room. Her head was propped up on one pillow, and her arms curled around another one. S.M. didn't have to double check to know for sure that the pillow Helena was holding belonged to Carys. Helena was oddly still, but S.M. could still hear her sobbing gently. </p><p>S.M. approached her quietly, taking a seat on the edge of the bed. "I'm sorry about what happened today," she murmured. "Do you want to talk about it?"</p><p>Helena was silent at first, but she did eventually push herself upwards to look at S.M. with a sad gaze. Her eyes were puffy, and her face was streaked with red thanks to her tears. She didn't bother rub at her cheeks, instead simply nodding. "Yeah... I do," she whispered. </p><p>S.M. slowly moved closer, and Helena rested her head on the older girl's shoulder. "Where do you want to start?" S.M. questioned. </p><p>Helena sniffled again. "Carys... Carys is the only one I've ever had stand by me for this long, you know. Until I came to Alitia, she was all that I had," she began to explain. </p><p>S.M. was taken aback by such a comment. "But... She always seemed to do nothing but treat you poorly," she murmured. "It was like she only ever cared about herself."</p><p>Helena nodded. "It's complicated... On our home planet, the sibling with the most power takes over as the ruler. Even if I'm older, she has more raw strength... But children don't see strength. They see friendly faces that they long to connect with," she continued. "Our parents ignored me for years after they learned I was weaker. Why put so much effort into a child that wouldn't produce any results for the sake of their honor? But Carys... She still saw me as her sister, and I couldn't leave her behind. She's the only one who has ever treated me like a person. Until I came here, I thought it was normal to be ignored."</p><p>S.M. turned to look at Helena, and she rested one arm around the other girl's shoulders. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I had no idea."</p><p>"I know that she seems bossy, but... It's not entirely her fault. She was always pampered beyond imagination, and it got to her after a while. She tried to spend time with me while still being prepared to take over the planet, but it got harder as time went on. I know that it's easy to see her as being a bit of a spoiled brat, but... She's the only person who ever bothered to get to know me back home. Before we came here, she was the only one who valued me. Back on Etruna, I'm just second-best at everything. I'm not as pretty, powerful, or important as Carys. She didn't care about that, and... I loved being with her since she actually cared about me," Helena told S.M. softly. </p><p>S.M. looked down at the ground. "I know that we're going to get her back. We have to," she murmured, determination seeping into her tone. "I'm not going to let her get in trouble for the sake of my mistakes. That's not going to be happening anytime soon. Carys is going to come back to us. That much I swear to you."</p><p>Helena rubbed at her eyes. "I hope you're right... She really does love it here, you know? I mean, it's a whiplash experience for her since she's being treated as an equal rather than elevated on a pedestal like at home, but... She's happy to be here and have friends. In a way, her grooming wasn't good for her either. People are fascinated with the idea of her, the idea of someone so powerful and important to the future of Etruna, but they don't want to get to know her. They love the concept of Carys Palpatine, but they never take the time to get close and understand just who she is. I was her only friend just as much as she was mine," she whispered. </p><p>"I know that Carys and I tend to butt heads sometimes, but I'm going to try and get along better with her in the future," S.M. insisted. "We're both stubborn as can be. I know that. Despite that, we're still friends, and it isn't fair of me to push her away. I guess I've been judging her a bit unfairly up to this point, and... I'm sorry about that."</p><p>Helena shook her head. "Don't worry about it... I understand. She's not exactly the easiest person to navigate, and I'm fully aware of that, but I still care about her... When we get her back, things are going to be different. I'm going to make sure that we all get closer. I swear it," she told S.M., certainty gleaming in her eyes. </p><p>"And I'll be with you every step of the way," S.M. assured her, closing her eyes. "Do you feel better now?"</p><p>Helena nodded. "Yeah... Thanks for all of this. I don't know what I would do without you, S.M.," she murmured, leaning up against her friend. Their heads were inches apart, but they didn't bother to move away from each other. Instead, they merely enjoyed the quiet, taking in each other's presences in the silence. </p><p>S.M. wasn't going to let this be the end of the story. They were going to get Carys back somehow. Rushing back onto Igni was a dumb move, but it was one that she fully approved of so long as there was the chance Carys would return to them. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Carys' eyes opened slowly. She must have fallen asleep without realizing it. The unpleasant memories of the times her mother tore her away from Helena were not fun to deal with when they resurfaced, and now was hardly the time for that to be added to her already endless list of worries. </p><p>In a way, that had been the start. Until they were seven or so, the two girls thought of each other as the same, but when Carys' power was discovered, Helena was pushed to the side. Carys wanted to stay close with Helena as she had up to that point, but it was hard to do so. No matter how much she tried to resist the way others told her she was superior, it started to sink in after a while. Hearing the same thing a hundred times over while still maintaining a stance of rebellion was hard for a child to do, and it set her on a path she wished she had not tread. </p><p>Helena was never the less powerful older sister until their parents made her out to be that way. To Carys, she was merely a sister and friend that she wanted to hold close. Two years of trying to be friends began to fall apart, and then the podium Carys had been forcefully perched upon began to rise. She left behind Helena and was thrust into a world of diamonds, dances, and unparalleled magical might. Her friendship was a secondary thought compared to her future in her parents' eyes, and that fact was not likely to change anytime soon. </p><p>Tears began to flow from Carys' eyes, and she knew that she had to get out of there as soon as possible. Despite her wishes to remain close with Helena, she had been swept up in her parents' behavior, and if Helena was not so loyal, it would have ruined them. Carys became a spoiled child who thought the world owed her everything merely because she existed, and such a ideology could not coexist with a friendship with someone who had been pushed down so many times over the years. </p><p>She was going to do better. As soon as she got out of that cell and returned home, she was going to find a way to reach out to Helena and fix things. Apologizing had never come easily to Carys since she was convinced for years that she could do no wrong, but she was willing to learn if it would change her relationship with Helena for the better. </p><p>Until they went to Alitia, Helena was the only one who treated her as an equal. Carys responded by bossing her around, not seeing the fault of her own actions until the ground was pulled out from her feet and she was on equal territory with others. Now, Carys regretted the way she had treated Helena for so many years, and she knew that she had to find a way to make things right. </p><p>"I'm sorry," Carys murmured, speaking for the first time since she had arrived. Her body was still numb thanks to the bite she had received from Faerner, and the venom he had injected into her system was coursing through her. Despite this, she still managed to force her lips to move. </p><p>She was going to get out of there. No matter what fate awaited her, she was going to find a way to break through the cell bars that blockaded her, and she was going to go back to Alitia. She was going to repair her relationship with Helena and apologize for her bratty behavior in the beginning to the rest of the group. It was the least she could do after everything that had happened. Never before had she been forced to say sorry for her actions, no matter how wrong she had been, simply because her parents claimed that her power kept her from all wrongdoing. No longer would she allow that mentality to rule her life. </p><p>"I'm sorry," Carys said again, her voice louder this time. Tears fell freely onto the ground beside her, though they froze as soon as they hit the warm floor of the cell. </p><p>Slowly, Carys regained feeling in her fingers, and they began to move of their own accord. The feeling spread throughout the rest of her body, and she rose to her feet, Isolis hitting her like a tidal wave. Wings sprouted from her back, and she spoke once more. "I'm sorry," she repeated, her voice stronger than it had been since she arrived. </p><p>The venom running through her system froze, unable to carry out its job of fully incapacitating her. Her body slowly grew colder, and she closed her eyes, feeling her skin freeze from her own magic. A snowy cloud appeared above her in the cell, raining delicate flakes of white down upon her skin. The temperature dropped immensely, and the regular lukewarm heat of Igni was replaced with a cold so overpowering that anyone aside from Carys would be left unable to fight back. </p><p>Ice spread from the places where the snowflakes touched the ground, and the cell bars froze over in a matter of seconds. Carys exhaled a light breath, and the bars shattered, the ice bending to her will. She took a few steps closer, leaving behind the cell as ice continued to spread throughout the area. Cells extended endlessly in either direction, though they were all left unoccupied. Carys didn't give them a second thought, instead focusing her attention on finding an exit. </p><p>A light flake landed on Carys' chest, and the place where her collarbones met began to glow with a gentle white light. The longer she basked in the frozen temperatures that had swept through the Igni prison cells, the brighter the glow began. She closed her eyes, and a tingling feeling swept through her body. </p><p>Even though the area was covered by her Isolis top, her chest glowed with a familiar outline. The sign of Gemini carved itself into Carys' skin, light rushing in between the threads of the fabric of her outfit to show the pattern. Carys looked down at it briefly, and magic rushed through her body as the poison dissipated completely, killed by the cold that had formed both inside and out of the enchantress of ice. </p><p>Carys' voice echoed throughout the prison cells when she spoke, the ice seeming to whisper the words back to her a thousand times over. "I'm sorry, and I'm going to make it up to you," she announced to no one in particular. She prayed that her intentions found their recipients, and even if they didn't, she would voice such as soon as she got back to Alitia. </p><p>A staircase was covered in ice nearby, and she realized that she had her method of escape. She walked closer towards it, the ice only growing more intense with each step she took. It spread outwards, leaving the prison frozen under layers of ice several inches thick all around her. Carys didn't bother to give it a second thought, instead concentrating on the sheer power that coursed through her body. </p><p>The light on her chest continued to glow with the pattern of Gemini, and she allowed it to light her way as she moved towards her escape, towards her friends, towards her forgiveness. She took flight, and her wings dropped small flakes of ice with each flap. </p><p>She was the Sealed One of Gemini, and she wasn't going to let anyone forget it. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I HAVE BEEN SO EXCITED FOR THIS CHAPTER UGH CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT IS SEXY</p><p>-Digital</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. XVII: Frozen Ash</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Charged by the power of Gemini, Carys makes her escape from the palace of Igni.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"You need to take a deep breath."</p><p>Minerva hadn't stopped pacing since sending off Anneliese and Nebula. A sigh left her lips, and she shook her head from her place in the main office of Sacred Heart. Upon hearing of the news, Altina had come to visit her, though it was clear that this meeting in particular lacked the regularly lax aura of most of their meetings. </p><p>Minerva shook her head, managing to stop walking for a few seconds despite her fidgety behavior. "Altina, it's not that easy. They could have been killed out there. I got mad at them because I care. They're children. They shouldn't lose their lives having to fight in a war for another world," she told Altina sternly. </p><p>Altina frowned at those words. "You do realize that we did the exact same thing when we were their age? There was a difference of two years, but the fact remains that we still fought for another planet. We were here on Millennia, but the War of Starlight was primarily on Amity. Despite this, we all charged into battle, and now we're seen as some of the greatest heroes from recent history," she pointed out. </p><p>Minerva continued her pacing, looking down at the ground as she did so. "I know that, but I still don't want to put them in danger. They're too young to deal with all of this. A lot can happen in the span of two years. Hell, a lot can happen in the span of a few minutes," she sighed. </p><p>"You never told them to stay away from Igni. They did something they thought would help, and even if things turned out sour, they couldn't have known that going in. We did our fair share of stupid things when we were their age, so who are we to nitpick them for it?" Altina questioned. "If you're thinking about what happened to Carys, remember that things are being worked out as we speak."</p><p>Minerva hesitated, realizing that Altina was right. Leviathan was going right back to Igni as soon as the time came to ensure that Carys was delivered safely back to Alitia. She sighed once again and shook her head. "Alright. I'll go and talk to them. I'll apologize," Minerva murmured. "Perhaps I was a bit overly emotional when I spoke to them the first time."</p><p>"You had a few minutes to calm down before I got here, and your hair was still on fire. I think it's safe to say that you overreacted," Altina said, closing her eyes and pushing some hair away from her face. "If you decide that you want any help with talking to them, all you need to do is say so. I'll find the time."</p><p>Minerva nodded slowly. "I'll keep that in mind," she whispered, walking towards her office door. "I'll be back as soon as I can. If Leviathan comes looking for me, tell him to wait. I don't want him interrupting this. I'd rather speak to him alone." With that said, she walked out, leaving Altina alone in the office. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Zylphia walked into the dorm room where Luce and the others lived slowly, Jin at her side. She hadn't bothered to knock, and luckily, she didn't need to. All seven of the girls were out in the main area of the apartment, looking up at the door silently. If anyone wanted to speak up, such a will died as soon as the stern look in Zylphia's eyes reached them. </p><p>"We need to talk," Zylphia announced, Jin following her inside before shutting the door. "It's about what happened."</p><p>"We're sorry," Tanith said quietly, her voice trembling. "We didn't realize that things would go that badly when we set out for Igni. I didn't mean to make you worry. We took as many precautions as possible, but..."</p><p>Zylphia waited for her to stop talking before speaking up. "I want you all to stay on campus until further notice. This is a dangerous situation we've found ourselves in, and unless we can navigate it carefully, then things are bound to take a turn for the worst. It would be in our best interests to ensure that you are all kept safe should something go wrong."</p><p>Jin piped in next after a light clearing of his throat. "I don't want you all to think that we hate you. We simply want you to be kept safe, and if this is the price we must pay for the sake of security, then so be it. We want you to be careful," he chimed in. </p><p>"We're going to stay here. That much is a promise," Tanith assured them. "But... What about Carys? We can't just leave her on Igni. I know that you don't want us to go back to help her out, but... We have to do something, even if our group isn't doing it personally."</p><p>"We already have a plan determined. One of the Guardians of Neo-Yen is leading the reclamation mission, and Carys will be back to us as soon as possible," Zylphia replied. "Until then, I want you all to stay here and away from the line of fire. It will be alright. We're going to find a way to work all of this out, and that much is a promise. Understood?"</p><p>Seven heads bobbed up and down gently. Zylphia and Jin both crossed the room to where Tanith was sitting on the couch, and the pair engaged in an oddly sudden display of public affection. Zylphia was far from being an open person when it came to her emotions, but she cast that aside gladly for the moment to embrace her adopted daughter. Jin was happy to pull her inside. He was more lax when it came to expressing himself, and it was easy to see that he was having a positive influence on her in this situation. </p><p>Neither Zylphia nor Jin said anything on the way out of the room. They closed the door behind themselves before disappearing from view, and silence reigned over the girls for the next few minutes. They all had a common thought in mind, but none of them were brave enough to express it. </p><p>What was happening to Carys back on Igni? </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Ice continued to creep upwards into the palace of Igni from the prison area beneath the ground. It was spreading rapidly, and more crystals were forming along the walls, floor, and ceiling with each passing second. The growth was exponential and impossible to ignore, but Carys did little to acknowledge it as her wings took her through the passage leading up to the main area of the castle. </p><p>She could hear footsteps nearby, but she didn't allow that to stop her. She instead continued pressing on, not caring about whoever she was about to come across. Carys didn't bat an eyelash when she found herself face-to-face with a new arrival. </p><p>River had been on their way down to the underground prison system, likely to see how Carys was doing in the aftermath of the fight. They seemed subdued and exhausted, and shadows were firmly implanted upon the skin beneath their eyes. They looked up upon realizing that Carys was flying in the air slightly above them, but they didn't make any moves to attack her. </p><p>Instead, Carys was the one to take the first step. She reached one hand out, clamping her fingers firmly around River's wrist. The member of the Alight Five didn't tense upon feeling the sudden contact of appendages as cold as ice itself. Instead, they seemed to relax slightly, allowing their breath to cloud up in the air before them. </p><p>For the first time ever, River felt cold. Their magic was that of ash, and they were used to suffering under the constant heat that thrived beneath the surface of their skin. Control had never come easily thanks to the volatile methods used to widen their scope of power. Force and manipulation resulted in years of suffering under the weight of their own magic, and they became accustomed to the regular feeling of uncomfortable warmth that ran through them. It wasn't ideal, but they couldn't change it. Nobody was willing to teach them how to control their magic. They were better as an unpredictable wild card that the enemy couldn't even begin to understand. </p><p>However, when Carys' hand slammed into their arm, the heat that rushed through their veins seemed to come to a halt. The process was not slow, and they were chilled immediately. It was as if, for the first time ever, they were able to take an easy breath in crisp air meant for the consumption of living creatures. Rather than inhaling the puffs of smoke from a volcano, they were embracing the cold of other worlds with their lungs, and it was pure bliss. </p><p>River didn't even notice as the ice continued to spread around them. Their focus was entirely on the cold that they were experiencing. A sigh left their lips, and they had to struggle to stay awake when the chill was so comforting. It was as if it was trying to lure them off to sleep. </p><p>Carys, however, did not have such intentions. A snarl left her lips as she pulled River in close. Her lips were so close to River's ear that a shiver would have been sent down their spine if they had been giving her enough attention. "Open a portal to Millennia," Carys growled, her voice scarcely sounding human. </p><p>River looked her in the eyes, their senses dulled by the sudden chill that had settled in their bones. The feeling of serenity was spreading quickly, and they didn't know how to stop it. Granted, they didn't exactly want to in the first place, but it wasn't exactly the best situation to be in given how intense Carys was behaving. </p><p>When Carys didn't get an immediate response, she snarled once again, and River could have sworn they saw ice crystals glinting off the pearly white teeth of their foe. Carys twisted their arm cruelly, sending needles of pain running up River's arm. However, they did not cry out in pain, too focused on the peace that was quickly making a home in their brain. "I said, open a portal to Millennia," Carys repeated, her tone only growing colder with each passing syllable. </p><p>River raised their other hand, finding that it was oddly strong despite the extremely cold conditions. Another huff of breath left their lips, fogging in the air in front of their face. They drew a circle in the sky, and it quickly solidified itself into a rift. Energy crackled along the surface of the portal. The rift lacked the chilling cold that River had already grown used to in the room, and it felt odd to be so close to something that seemed to emanate blistering heat by comparison to everything else. </p><p>River expected Carys to throw them to the ground before walking towards the portal. Much to their surprise, she did not do such. Instead, she grabbed their other arm, holding it tightly with her free hand. She forced River's wrists together, and light chains of ice appeared around their arms, binding them together and preventing any further movements. River relished in the feeling of ice along their skin. </p><p>"You're coming with me," Carys whispered, her voice dripping with icicles in its chilling quality. No huff of white fog appeared before her, and it seemed to River that she had become one with the ice that she had breathed into the room. </p><p>Carys walked towards the portal, dragging River along despite the notable difference in height between them. Carys didn't look back as her ice continued to spread, instead walking into the rift. It vanished behind them, but the ice did not. Instead, it only expanded its reach, creeping up the nearby walls and breaking into the main area of the palace. The power of Gemini would not be so easily defeated, and it was intent on remaining long after its master had disappeared. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Leviathan was already back on Igni, much to the surprise of all who had spent time associating with him prior to his expedition. He knew that Minerva, Zylphia, and everyone else they associated with were stressed about the loss of the Etrunan princess, and he was going to do what he had to in order to get her back. </p><p>Leviathan was an expert in tracking the lost. His abilities to shift into whatever he pleased made it easy for him to find out more information about anything that he could possibly be curious about. The disappearance of Carys was no exception, and given that she had been seen so recently, this job was looking to be incredibly easy. When compared to the daunting task that was finding the lost princess of N-Yx, locating Carys was going to be a piece of cake. </p><p>Leviathan wasn't going to let himself hesitate too much though. Instead, he took a sigh once he was in a back alley on Igni, and his shape began to change. He had taken on the appearance of a guard for the Ignite palace. It wouldn't be hard to sneak in so long as he kept his head low and didn't show anyone anything that would make them suspicious. His regular notable figures, such as his pointed ears or sharpened teeth, had disappeared in the shapeshifting process, making him practically impossible to identify properly. </p><p>The first thing he heard upon stepping into the palace of Igni was a scream. He wondered what was happening, but he realized what was happening not long afterwards. Ice was spreading rapidly along the surfaces of the building, creeping outwards at a speed unprecedented. Igni was a naturally hot place, and it was rare for ice to survive for longer than half an hour under the intense heat the sun brought upon the surface of the planet. </p><p>It had to be the work of a mage, but there was something about it that caught Leviathan off guard. He thought he heard Minerva talk about Carys prior to his departure, and she had mentioned her being an ice mage. If that was the case, then perhaps this was her doing. </p><p>But if she was the one who had spawned all of this ice, then what did that mean? Had she somehow found a way to break out? Carys had been bitten by a magical snake, and who knew what that dirty bastard Faerner was capable of? She could have been incapacitated by the venom already, but if that was the case, where was this ice coming from? The only other ice mage on Igni that he could think of was December, but why would she freeze over the palace? </p><p>Leviathan shook his head and decided to follow the path of the ice. He would find its origin point soon enough, and he was going to figure out what in the world was going on as soon as possible. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>"The castle is covered in ice? I never thought I'd see the day."</p><p>In the town near the palace of Igni, Briyana Frazier stared up at the imposing force of stone and ice. Her dark, tightly curled hair was tied at the back of her head, halfway up in a light ponytail while the other half was left down. Her dark skin seemed to glow in the sunshine overhead as her deep eyes looked upon the castle. Her clothing was mostly brown, dirty, and plain, making it perfect for appearing to fit in with the rest of the crowd. </p><p>It had been a while since Briyana had seen something so strange. As a revolutionary on Igni, she was no stranger when it came to odd activity, but this just had to take the cake. She placed her hands on her hips. Seeing any ice on Igni would make it seem as if hell had frozen over. For most leaths, Igni was hell, so it was a much more fitting comparison than any mage would have had you believe. This much ice was simply out of the question, and it didn't take a genius to see that something had gone wrong. </p><p>There were very few native ice mages on Igni, if there were any at all. Ice magic was the opposite of the fiery power that Igni typically produced with its mages, and the only notable mage who had the power of ice was December Latheia. Somehow, Briyana doubted that December was the one responsible for nearly encasing the entire place in ice. It seemed to be out of her nature given how she stuck so close to the royal family. </p><p>But if it wasn't her, then who could have been responsible? Briyana smirked to herself and closed her eyes in confusion. There had to be an explanation, and Briyana couldn't help but wonder if it perhaps pointed to a figure from outside the planet managing to sneak in. If that was the case, then maybe things were going to turn in her favor. </p><p>It had been ages since the revolutionary forces of Igni saw any significant victory. In fact, such a momentous occasion hadn't been seen since Octavia herself joined their side on the subject of leath liberation. Briyana had been the one responsible for such, and it had changed the fate of the planet forever in the same way that Octavia's death had. Perhaps this would wind up as another moment marked down in every history book across the planet as a turning point where the leaths began to rise up. </p><p>After all, the palace itself freezing over had to mean something, and Briyana knew that it was nothing in favor of the royal family. She wondered what fragments of resistance had settled into the pot of fate, stirred by some unseen force, and she prayed to whatever god was willing to listen that she would meet the person responsible to free her people sooner rather than later. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Leviathan had turned himself invisible when he was sure nobody was watching, and he slunk around the shadows of the palace with a light frown. Carys had ice magic. That much he was sure of. However, could she have really done all of this? It seemed nearly impossible for anyone but the strongest of Inlustris mages, and Carys was a mere Isolis with no ways of leveling up without risking intense physical strain. Leviathan didn't have the slightest clue as to how she would have been capable of such a feat, but he was going to figure it out if she was the one responsible. </p><p>A set of stairs stretched out before him, and Leviathan frowned to himself. The ice clearly seemed to originate from somewhere at the bottom of this stairwell, but he knew it would be nearly impossible to traverse the slippery surface without risk of falling. He shrugged this off and took his first step forwards, frowning when he nearly tripped and fell backwards. Leviathan managed to grab onto the railing at the last second to keep himself from fully collapsing to the ground, and he cringed at the cold that flooded his system at the contact. </p><p>Leviathan closed his eyes, allowing his feet to transform into another's, more specifically, an ice mage's that he had met many years ago. Leviathan didn't think that the person in question would mind much given that Leviathan was only using their feet for the moment, and it wasn't as if anyone could see him anyways. He was relieved for such given how ridiculous the combination of a foreigner's feet had to look on top of his already awkwardly-proportioned lanky form. </p><p>He pushed this concern out of his mind and began walking down the stairs. It was a slow process since he still had to remain careful despite the change of feet thanks to his shapeshifting. After all, even the most graceful of ice mages were still prone to falling over from time to time, and he didn't want to be the one to make an embarrassment of himself by doing such. Even if nobody could see, he would never live that down as far as his personal pride was concerned. </p><p>When Leviathan finally stepped off the bottom stair, he looked around. It was impossible to deny that this was the place where the ice was coming from. He cringed at the sight and began to walk forward slowly, still trying to keep his balance. Now that there was no railing, he was forced to cling against the wall as an extra precaution. However, he had the feeling that he was getting closer by the second, and he would figure out what was going on soon. </p><p>Eventually, Leviathan arrived at his destination, and a gasp left his lips. He saw bars of a prison cell scattered on the floor, encased within small shards of ice that threatened to usurp his balance if he wasn't careful. This was where everything was coming from. Carys had been the one responsible for sure. After all, what other ice mage would they keep beneath the palace for easy surveillance? There were no other prisoners in sight in the frozen-over cells, so she had to be alone. She was far too valuable to the king to be kept near others. </p><p>Leviathan swallowed nervously. As much of a relief as it was that she had escaped, he didn't know what he was supposed to tell everyone when he went back. He couldn't just return without her. He let out a deep breath, unsurprised when it fogged up his vision for a moment. He was just going to have to find a way to track her down himself. He had managed to start the tracing process for the lost princess of N-Yx, so it would be easy for him to pull off the same for Carys. </p><p>He snapped his fingers and began working. He had quite the difficult task ahead of him. Navigating this ice was going to be a challenge, and he was sure that it was going to slow him down, but he wasn't going to let his lack of speed get to him. He had much more important subjects to tackle in that moment. Saving Carys had to be his top priority no matter how much of a pain in the ass it proved to be. Minerva was counting on him, and he wasn't going to let her down after they'd just reunited for the first time in years. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>December, Cerise, and Arisu stood together in the command room of the Alight Five. The ice had reached the area and frozen the doors shut. Cerise was attempting to blast the doors off their hinges using her electric magic, but despite how hard she was trying, nothing seemed to be working. She let out a huff of quiet frustration, and the air around her lips turned to white fog immediately. "It's no use," Cerise told the other two, managing to keep her voice surprisingly firm despite the cold sinking in quickly. "I don't think I can get the door open. We're going to have to try something else if we want to get out of here."</p><p>"I can try and knock them off their hinges," Arisu offered, a grin on their face. Uncertainty was clouding over in their eyes despite their seemingly endless confidence. "I mean, I don't know if the king will be happy to hear that the doors have been blasted into nothingness, but what else are we supposed to do? We have to do something if we want to get out of here. It's getting pretty cold already, and I don't want to imagine what could happen to us if we stay in here for too long."</p><p>"Igni mages aren't made for the cold weather like this," Cerise said through gritted teeth. "Even if December and I aren't from this planet, we've grown too accustomed to the heat after years of living on Igni."</p><p>December nodded her agreement, letting out a gentle exhale through her nose. The way the air fogged up around her was unmistakable. She looked to Arisu with a stern frown. "Please get us out of here. If we wind up needing to talk to the king about this, then I'll handle it. Getting out of here without freezing to death should be our first priority," she told the younger mage. </p><p>Arisu nodded, the fear disappearing from their eyes. They stomped one foot and shot forward one arm. A shockwave of magic was sent flying free from their hand to hit the door. While the doors did not break under the pressure, cracks did begin to form in the ice. Arisu took this as a victory and immediately got back to work on attacking the door. </p><p>December looked down to the blade of ice at her hip. As soon as ice appeared over the castle, she began trying to break through it with her sword, but her attempts quickly proved futile. The sword simply didn't give her the strength she needed to call the ice back to it. Nothing seemed to be working against the ice aside from straight-up fire, but she didn't exactly have that on standby. </p><p>She looked to Arisu next, and the frown on her face deepened. She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to hide the somber expression that had appeared in them. It was tragic how on Igni, a mage who preferred to fight with physical weapons over magic was praised, but a leath who could use that same weapon better was tossed aside without a second thought. It was the way things had always been, but that didn't mean she had to like it. In fact, December was very firmly against it. </p><p>Arisu was strong in ways that December could never truly hope to describe, but it was unfortunate that they were able to profit from the raw physical strength they had worked to over the course of years while leaths who had that same ability and more were shoved to the sidelines. If one had magic, it would excuse just about anything they could possibly do. Arisu was far from being the type to abuse that privilege, but it still bothered December deeply. </p><p>Arisu stomped for a fourth time, and December realized that they had acted twice more while she was spaced out and focusing on the actions of her fellow Ignite general. The cracks in the ice were starting to spread, and December watched as they grew larger. </p><p>Arisu let out a fierce cry with a fifth blast of magic. The shockwaves they emitted were enough to completely break the doors. Wood encased in ice was sent flying everywhere, and splinters were sent all over the floor of the ice-coated hallway. The debris slid around without a destination in mind before finally slowing to a stop. </p><p>Arisu looked to December and Cerise with a smile. "Let's get out of here," they suggested. Without any further words said, the trio left the room behind, and while December was able to stow away much of her sadness, it still remained beneath the surface, bubbling without a place to be properly released. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>"Eros."</p><p>Eros turned upon hearing the voice of Faerner behind him. A glare formed in his eyes at the reminder that the snake-like mage still drew breath. Eros had already grown sick of Faerner's shenanigans after a mere one mission, and he was frustrated that he would be forced to interact with Faerner further in the future. Surion seemed satisfied with their combined performance after their last mission, and who was Eros to speak out against the king. </p><p>"What do you want?" Eros asked, struggling to keep the angry snarl out of his voice. "I don't think that I wanted to speak with you." Things were already inconvenient enough for Eros. His axe had been stolen by the murder suspect after the last fight, and the palace he and Faerner stood in was covered in ice inside and out. He really didn't need to deal with Faerner on top of all that. </p><p>Faerner shrugged loosely. "I was just going to ask you a question... After all, you're a mage of fire, are you not? You should be able to melt the ice of this castle to find us a way out," he remarked. </p><p>Eros grew tense at those words, and he growled at Faerner. "You should learn to mind your own damn business, you slithery bastard," he hissed. "I would rather that you left before I am forced to pound you into oblivion myself."</p><p>Faerner laughed, and the sound was clearly far from human. "Oh, Eros... I just want to know why you aren't letting us out of here. You have the power to do so, don't you? You're a mage of the fire element," he continued, taking a few steps closer to Eros. "Or... Perhaps..."</p><p>Eros didn't offer an answer, instead clenching his hand into a fist. He knew he was going to break skin if he kept it up for much longer, but it was truly a struggle to keep Faerner from getting to him. He would rather try to keep his anger contained than be executed by Surion for raising a hand to his comrade. </p><p>Faerner shook his head. "Some weapons allow the user a full range of magical abilities within a given element. Your axe was distorted and stolen after that last fight, was it not? You always fought with it. After all, physical strength combined with magical prowess is an admirable quality on Igni..." He paused for a small chuckle. "Unless your physical strength is all you have. You have no fire magic in the first place, do you? Now that your axe is gone, you're just as useless as most of the population on this planet... Isn't that right, leath?"</p><p>Eros threw one arm at Faerner, but he only hit empty air when Faerner ducked down and to the side. Faerner let out another small laugh as he walked for the door. "Pathetic. Absolutely pathetic," he remarked as he transformed into a snake to slither underneath the closed door. </p><p>Eros yelled in anger and slammed his fist into the ice, though the raw strength was not enough to make a dent. He let out an upset huff as he was abandoned in the room, left to suffer with the secret that could easily end his career and his life. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I've been so excited for this chapter you have no idea I love it so much</p><p>-Digital</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. XVIII: Return from Ash</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Carys arrives back at Alitia after escaping from Igni.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The portal from Igni opened a small hole in the sky, and it spat out Carys and River forcefully. River stumbled upon touching down, and they hit the grass hard. Their breath was forced from their lungs, but they tried to keep from lingering in that place for too long. Instead, River pried themselves from the ground, and visible shock appeared on their face when they realized that the spot they had fallen into the grass was not burned by their magic. It was so normal for them to turn whatever they touched into a melted monstrosity that barely resembled what it had been before. Seeing that not be the case was strange to them, and they continued to stare at the still-intact grass for a few seconds out of surprise. </p><p>However, Carys was not willing to linger any longer than they already had. Her icy grasp on River's arm only grew tighter, and she dragged the Alight Five general along behind her. The Alitia building was nearby, only a few minutes' walk, and it towered over them. Carys looked up at the campus and let out a sigh before taking a few more steps forward. After what had felt like ages, she was finally back. </p><p>The campus' courtyard was filled with many young students who were buzzing around in different clusters. At first, none of them seemed to notice that Carys had arrived, too focused on what they had been doing before she showed up, but then the temperature began to drop. Unlike what she had done on Igni, Carys wasn't freezing the ground and school. Instead, the air just got bitterly cold, threatening to swallow anyone who wasn't properly protected from the weather. </p><p>A few students began to shiver, and many whispers rose up from the crowd. Breath grew foggy, and gazes adjusted to focus on Carys. When she was noticed, Carys let out a small sigh of relief, though she didn't let her intense facial expression fade in the slightest. Just because she was home didn't mean that she could let her guard down. After all, she still had to make sure that River wasn't going to head off and cause problems as soon as she released them, and that was a daunting task for an Isolis mage regardless of if she had been Sealed or not. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Inside Alitia, Helena was near the dorm room she shared with the other girls. She was fidgeting nervously, and she looked out the window across the hall from her dorm when she felt something strange calling for her. None of the other girls had noticed her odd behavior. They were far too busy enjoying the silence that had embraced them as soon as they arrived back from Igni the night before. </p><p>"Carys," Helena whispered, rising to her feet. She had been sitting on the ground up to that point, but she seemed to believe that this was an important enough event that she had to go and investigate herself. She didn't even bother calling for the others through the door's threshold. The entrance to their room was wide open so that everyone could keep an eye on her, but they didn't seem to notice that she was on the move. </p><p>Helena took off running down the hallway, wondering where this energy had somehow come from out of nowhere. After what had happened on Igni against Eros and Faerner, she had no right to be this energetic, and yet, her body was moving faster than it had in a long time despite this. </p><p>Her dash down the stairs was surprisingly dignified, and much to the shock of even Helena herself, she didn't trip over her feet on the way down. Instead, she kept herself upright until she was on the bottom floor and able to walk out of the building and out into the courtyard. </p><p>As soon as the blast of cold air hit her, Helena let out a gasp. She continued to run, dashing towards the figure she knew as Carys. She couldn't help the tears that welled up in her eyes and threatened to spill over, and she slid to a stop about a foot away from her sister. Had Carys not been so averse to physical contact, Helena would have thrown her arms around her twin sister. </p><p>Then again, there was something else with wrong that idea as well. River was standing off to the side, still held tightly in place by Carys' iron-like grip on their lower arm. It was strange to see two figures who were so different right beside one another, and Helena's eyes went wide as tears streaked down her cheeks at the sight. </p><p>"Excuse me! I need to see her!" </p><p>Helena hadn't even realized that a small crowd had formed around Carys until someone was trying to push through it. Helena had been at the center of the circle alongside her sister and River, but they were soon joined by a familiar face. </p><p>"Professor Apollo!" Helena exclaimed, her voice wavering much more than she expected it to. She clamped her hands over her mouth as a way of stifling the sound, her cheeks turning violently pink in the process. </p><p>Michaela, however, didn't seem to mind in the slightest. Instead of looking to Helena, she went closer to Carys and River. The glow on Carys' chest reflected back on Michaela's face, and Helena realized that she hadn't even paying attention to the light that was coming from her sister's skin beneath her Isolis top. The outline of a symbol became clearer in Helena's mind once she noticed it, and a gasp left her lips. </p><p>"No way..." Helena whispered, unable to tear her gaze away from the marking now that she had observed it. She looked up to Michaela for a moment, swallowing nervously as she remembered the express directions of Zylphia. If Carys really had become a Sealed One, then Michaela couldn't be allowed to see what was happening. It could cause the secret to get out. </p><p>Oddly enough, Michaela didn't seem bothered by that in the slightest. Instead, she merely gestured for Carys and River to follow her. Helena trailed behind the trio, and the crowd of students that had surrounded them parted to give them space to move. Soon enough, they had left behind the courtyard entirely and were making their way towards Zylphia's office. </p><p>Much to Helena's surprise, the rest of the girls were already there when they arrived. Luce's features were flooded with relief when she set her gaze upon Helena. "You really worried us there," she murmured, not saying much more despite it being clear that there were a thousand other words that she wished to dump out onto Helena and Carys in that instant. </p><p>Zylphia was sitting in the chair behind her desk, her hands propped up on the wood as she looked at River with a frown. It was clear that she was trying to remain passive in the face of a potential enemy. After fighting in a war, Zylphia had to know how to hide her emotions when the situation called for it. She was already pretty damn good at showing off those practices in regular conversation, after all. </p><p>"What happened for you to come back here?" Sophia questioned, looking to Carys in surprise. Her eyes were as wide as could be, and when she noticed the symbol peering out from between the threads of Carys' top, she let out a gasp, though she attempted to stifle it when she remembered River was right there along with Michaela. </p><p>Carys closed her eyes, and Helena realized that the temperature in the room had dropped drastically in a few seconds. A handful of moments later, light kicked up around Carys' feet, and when it calmed down, the warmth of the office returned. Helena let out a sigh of relief, and she looked over to Carys. </p><p>There was a symbol peering out from over the neckline of her shirt. It was unmistakable to Helena. That was most certainly a sign that she had become a Sealed One while on Igni. She didn't understand how that was possible, but she got the feeling that she would be hearing the story soon enough. </p><p>"I have brought a member of the Alight Five," Carys said, speaking up for the first time since her arrival back at Alitia. Even if she was speaking the obvious, she didn't seem to mind. </p><p>"What happened to you?" Sylvia questioned. Her tone was a strange mix of relief and distress, and when Helena glanced over at her, she noticed that Sylvia was halfway hiding behind Luce to keep from needing to look at River fully. </p><p>"It's a long story," Carys replied simply. "The point is that I have someone with me who could most certainly be useful to our cause."</p><p>Carys pushed River forwards, and the Alight Five general stumbled. While they were able to recover, they didn't seem too happy about being moved away from Carys, and Helena couldn't figure out for the life of her why. She figured that she would get the answers to that soon enough though, so she nodded slowly, biting back her worries to focus on what mattered for the time being. </p><p>Michaela wound up being the one to catch River, keeping them from falling forward after Carys' somewhat brutal shove. She frowned down at the Alight Five member, sighing to herself. "I have to say... I didn't expect this to happen. How did you manage to bring River back through the portal with you?" she questioned of Carys. </p><p>Carys looked down. "I forced them to open a gate that would bring me back here. I wasn't going to let myself just be stuck over there," she replied. "They haven't acted out at all. They barely even tried to grab me after I finished making my escape."</p><p>"Did anyone help you to come back here?" Zylphia questioned, looking to River darkly. "Were there any other allies who appeared to provide you assistance?"</p><p>Carys shook her head. "No. I acted all on my own. I found the power to break out without the aid of others. River was grabbed along the way, but I did this myself," she said, her voice still just as firm and confident as it had been when she first arrived back. </p><p>"I see... I'll have to contact Minerva to tell her to have Leviathan pull back. He has no further reasons to remain on Igni," Zylphia murmured with a gentle nod. "Originally, we sent him in to ensure that you were brought back here safely, but his interference will no longer be required."</p><p>"So much has happened so quickly," Iris commented, taking a step towards Carys. "You have to tell us all about it. Please."</p><p>"Before you say anything... I ask that you listen to me," River piped in, looking up at Michaela before addressing the rest of the group. "I have one request, and I would appreciate it if you would hear me out."</p><p>"You're our enemy. Why would we bother?" S.M. questioned with a huff. She had her arms crossed as she stared at River. "We have no reason to listen to anything that you have to say."</p><p>"Give them a chance," Zylphia told S.M., keeping her voice even and passive as ever. She turned back to River a moment later. It was easy to see that she was hiding how wary she was behind a gaze that displayed a strange mix of relaxation and scrutiny. </p><p>River waited until everyone was looking at them, and they swallowed nervously once they had captured the attention of all the people in the area. "I... I would like to fight alongside you against Igni," they declared. "I no longer wish to fight as a member of the Alight Five. Consider this my official resignation. I'm going turncoat."</p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Minerva knocked her hand gently against the entrance to the dorm room shared by Nebula and Anneliese. The rest of the girls who lived in their apartment had already set out for the day. As usual, Nebula and Anneliese spent their time apart from the rest of their roommates, and Minerva was thankful for such as she drew closer to the door. </p><p>Nobody went to open it, but she knew that they were inside. With a cautious push, Minerva made her way inside. She saw Nebula and Anneliese's room had the light on while the rest of the apartment was dark. Minerva sighed, realizing that they likely hadn't heard Minerva coming. She had made a deliberate attempt to be quieter than usual, so perhaps she shouldn't have been surprised. </p><p>Minerva walked to their door specifically next, knocking against the wood. This time, she was louder to ensure that she captured their attention fully. She heard footsteps from inside, and she was greeted by none other than Anneliese. </p><p>"Headmistress Claudere!" Anneliese cried, her eyes going wide in surprise. It was rare for someone like Minerva to visit a student at their dorm. In fact, such a thing hadn't ever happened in Anneliese's time at Sacred Heart. She opened the door further to allow Minerva inside, and the headmistress gave her a nod of thanks before pressing inside. </p><p>Nebula was sitting on her bed, but she got to her feet when she realized who their guest was. "Headmistress Claudere..." she echoed, her voice barely above a whisper. She did her best to shake off her surprise, approaching Minerva cautiously. "What brings you here? Has something happened?" Knotted tension rose in her shoulders, a byproduct of the fear that had quickly seeped into her face in the few seconds since Minerva's arrival. </p><p>Minerva shook her head. "I simply wish to apologize for what happened," she explained. "I shouldn't have gotten quite so snappy with you. I behaved like that in my own caring way, I suppose. I didn't intend to frighten you or any such thing, and I'm sorry for that."</p><p>Nebula and Anneliese looked to each other, shock written clear as day on their features. "I... Thank you," Anneliese eventually managed to spit out, bowing her head to the fire mage after a few seconds. "We accept your apology, and you are forgiven."</p><p>Minerva turned towards the door, unsure of what else she was supposed to say, but she wound up pausing. She looked back at the girls after a few seconds and let out a sigh. "If you require anything, all you need to do is come to me," she said softly. With that said, she left the room behind. </p><p>Minerva couldn't help but kick herself internally as soon as she arrived out into the hallway. It wasn't surprising that she was still just as bad with emotions as she had been the first day she arrived at Sacred Heart as a student. Altina and the rest of the Starlight Camaraderie were used to it, but that certainly made communicating with others in an apologetic manner a lot harder. Maybe she could ask Leviathan for help on how to get better at it. He was emotional enough to probably know exactly what to do. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>The room was silent after River's declaration, and Luce couldn't help but stare with her mouth agape. She blinked at first, wondering if she had heard that right. Did River really want to fight alongside them? After all that time they had spent on Igni, it didn't settle properly in her stomach that this was the case, but River sure as hell wasn't making any moves to take those words back. </p><p>"Excuse me?" Zylphia eventually asked, narrowing her eyes in River's direction. "You'll have to provide more of an explanation that just that, I'm afraid."</p><p>River swallowed again before nodding. "I'm tired of fighting for Igni... Use whatever truth spells you need to in order to get the answers you need. I'm telling the truth here, and I have no will to go back to the place I was in before all of this. Why would I want to? I only ever fought for them out of bloodline obligation, and now... I can finally get away!" they cried out. </p><p>"What made you want to switch sides now? You had plenty of chances to back away before now," S.M. pointed out, her gaze like fire as it fell upon River. </p><p>"That girl... She was able to freeze me," River murmured. "I haven't felt cold in so long... My magic is out of control, and I can barely get it to listen to me most of the time. But... She was able to keep it from spiraling out of control. I was never able to get it to stay that way. It felt amazing. How could I just walk away from someone who was able to do something so amazing for me? I simply can't do that."</p><p>Carys looked at River in surprise before her shock melted away a few seconds later. "My ice magic was doing what it wanted... I suppose it would catch someone like you by surprise. You use heat magic, and it's far from being stable. We've seen that firsthand many different times," Carys remarked. She looked up to Michaela, still frowning heavily. "We have to figure out if they're telling the truth. Is there a spell that we can use to hear it for sure?"</p><p>Michaela nodded slowly, creating a small orb of light that she held up to River. The general watched it intently, swallowing nervously when it came too close for comfort. Eventually, the light vanished, flying into their chest where it dissipated entirely. River stumbled at the hit, only kept steady by Michaela's arm being wrapped around their shoulders. </p><p>The room was heavy with silence for a few seconds afterwards, and Luce watched River intently. Everyone's eyes seemed to be on the general, waiting for them to say something as the truth spell from Michaela settled in. For those moments, time seemed to crawl on at the pace of a snail, and Luce bit her lip in nervousness simply to give herself something to do. </p><p>When River did speak up again, there was something different about them. Luce figured that it was the spell at work. "I want to side with you in fighting against Igni. I've had enough of that place," they reaffirmed, their voice stronger than Luce had ever heard it before. "I'm tired of being treated like garbage. The king only ever used me for my magic, and my lack of control was always a tool to further his power. If nobody could control me, then I could be used for the greater glory of Igni. I don't want to be used like that anymore. I'm not going back there ever again."</p><p>The room fell silent once again, and Luce glanced around, waiting for someone to say something. The quiet was already starting to bother her, and Luce was practically begging someone to say something, anything, about what had just happened. The truth spell had shown that River wasn't lying, so what did that mean for their future? Were they simply supposed to stay on Millennia until this whole situation blew over? If that was the case, then who knew how long that would be?</p><p>Zylphia eventually let out a sigh, and she nodded. "I see... If that's the case, then we'll come up with a plan for accommodations sooner or later," she declared. "We'll find a solution to all that has happened. You don't need to worry."</p><p>"You can't be serious," S.M. murmured, her eyes going wide. "Maybe I'm biased because they attacked me on multiple occasions, but I don't know if I feel right trusting them right off the bat. There's something fishy going on here."</p><p>"It's not suspicious at all," River whispered. "I'm tired of being manipulated by your grandfather. He's done nothing but use me ever since I was born. My magic was a tool for him to expand his power, and I don't want to be treated that way anymore."</p><p>Michaela nodded to Zylphia. "I'll take care of this for now... We can discuss our next step later today," she announced before walking out of the office. She pulled River along beside her, and the room was deadly quiet until the door gently tapped shut behind the pair. </p><p>Sylvia looked up to Luce before flashing her gaze over to Zylphia. "This is crazy... I don't know how you can be so calm about all of this, Headmistress Satim," she said softly. "I guess that the truth spell shows that they're being honest, but..."</p><p>"I'll figure this out," Zylphia assured her. "Don't worry about River. I believe that we have another story to hear about now. Carys, why don't you tell us about how you escaped from Igni? I imagine that it's quite an intriguing tale."</p><p>Carys nodded, looking down at her chest and touching the small amount of her Gemini mark that peered out over the top of her shirt. "Alright. I'll get right into it," she began. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Leviathan didn't bother knocking when he walked into Minerva's office. His sister was inside alone after making her visit to Anneliese and Nebula's dorm. Minerva looked up when she heard that someone was coming, and a small frown appeared on her face. "What is it you need, Leviathan?" she questioned. </p><p>"I'm back from Igni since you told me to pull out," Leviathan replied, walking into the office fully before taking a seat in a chair that was propped up to face Minerva's desk. "You said that she had been found, yes?"</p><p>Minerva nodded. "Michaela Apollo of Alitia sent a message here that I was to ask you to retreat back here. Carys managed to escape on her own. I don't know how in the hell she pulled that off, but I'm sure not complaining," she explained. </p><p>Leviathan paused before replying. "Well, I might have an answer for you there... It's called freezing the palace of Igni and then running during the chaos," he answered. "When I arrived at the castle, it was covered in ice, and I followed the crystals to the source. It happened to originate from the dungeon beneath the palace. If you ask me, it seems oddly suspicious that someone with ice magic would be captured and held down there before the palace was frozen and she went missing."</p><p>Minerva's eyes went wide. "You can't be serious... Freezing the palace? That shouldn't be possible for any ice mages. Igni's temperature is too high for ice to sustain itself," she murmured. Suddenly, she gasped, and the realization of Carys' Sealing hit her head-on. "Damn it."</p><p>Leviathan studied his older sister for a moment before tilting his head to one side, sending his ponytail off kilter. "I don't know what you're muttering about, but would you mind explaining it to me?" he questioned. "Of course, I'm not trying to be invasive or anything... Oh, who am I kidding? I want to hear all about it."</p><p>Minerva hesitated at first before a sigh left her lips. "You're good at keeping secrets," she muttered. It was more of a statement than a question. "Fine. I'll tell you, but you had best not tell anyone about this aside from the head teachers. This is a secret that the general public cannot find out about, understood?"</p><p>Leviathan nodded. "When have I ever let you down, Min?" he questioned, flashing a playful grin despite the grim situation. "Why don't you start from the beginning?"</p><p>"It's a process called Sealing. The Sealed Ones are said to fight alongside the Keepers of Starlight and Moonlight to restore the balance of the world. They are chosen by the gods after proving themselves to be loyal to the cause," Minerva explained. "However, this is a bit of a special situation... The Keepers are not the ones this Sealing is based around. Instead, it's centralized on the daughter of the missing Keeper of Starlight. All of this has to remain secret, alright? I don't even want to imagine how much trouble the Church of Starlight would kick up if they heard about this."</p><p>Leviathan stared at her for a moment before nodding. "Alright... I understand," he told her. "You think that Carys became a Sealed One while she was trying to escape... It's not too farfetched, I have to say. You would have to be pretty determined and have a strong resolve if you were going to get out of Igni like that."</p><p>"Becoming a Sealed One magnifies your power. The instant that someone is Sealed, their power skyrockets," Minerva continued. "I guess that her magic went wild and froze the palace. That would certainly provide a distraction for her to use to escape the palace and then the planet."</p><p>"It was a rather impressive sight, I have to say. I never would have guessed that a teenager was responsible for it," Leviathan commented. "But that's beside the point. Is there anything else that you need to tell me about it?"</p><p>Minerva nodded slowly. "Yes... I'm one of the Sealed Ones who worked with the Keeper of Starlight years ago. Then again, I'm sure you already put that together. You have ways of figuring things out before anybody says a word on the subject. It's part of your charm," she replied, finishing her statement with a light snort. </p><p>Leviathan let another smile appear on his face. "You know me too well, Min," he said playfully. "If you wind up needing anything else from me in the future, all you need to do is ask. I'd be happy to help you out."</p><p>"Thank you," Minerva told him. "I can't think of anything at the moment, so just... Stay out of trouble, alright?"</p><p>"It's a deal," Leviathan assured her. He rose to his feet and started towards the door. "By the way... We really need to talk about our relationship soon. I'm tired of dancing around the subject, and I'm sure that you are too."</p><p>Leviathan shut the door behind himself, and Minerva let out a sigh. She shook her head to no one in particular even if nobody was around to see it. She was certainly going to need to arrange a moment for her to talk things out with Leviathan. They couldn't keep the strictly business mask up forever when they were brother and sister, after all, and they definitely had a lot more to talk about than they were willing to acknowledge openly. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>After Carys finished her explanation of the events from Igni, Zylphia's office fell silent once again. The headmistress herself nodded slowly and let out a light hum. "I understand," she murmured. She raised one hand, and a small glow surrounded her fingers. When she swiped her hand through the air, he mark on Carys' chest disappeared, fading back into the skin from where it came. </p><p>"That makes for two of us becoming Sealed Ones," S.M. remarked, crossing her arms. "It seems that the Alight Five are making us stronger. I never would have guessed something like that would wind up happening in this way. I mean, we were going to have to get more powerful if we wanted to defeat them, but this is something else entirely."</p><p>"I guess we'll just have to turn our power back against them when they come to fight us in the future," Sophia commented with a light smile. "They were the ones who brought this power out of us, so we'll just show them what we're capable of when they next cross us. How does that sound?"</p><p>"For now, you will not be doing any fighting, remember?" Zylphia questioned, raising an eyebrow to the students. "You should return to your room for the time being. Carys most certainly needs some rest after everything she went through back on Igni, and I get the feeling that you are all just as exhausted as her from an emotional perspective."</p><p>Nobody had objections to raise to Zylphia's words. Slowly but surely, the eight girls filed out of the office and started moving back towards their shared dorm room. They were quiet the whole way there, knowing without needing to say a word that this was something they could only discuss behind closed doors. </p><p>It wasn't until after Sylvia had shut the doors behind them that anyone dared to speak up. Sylvia herself was the first to talk. "Well... It seems that a lot has happened," she murmured. </p><p>"I'm so glad you're back home, Carys," Helena said, a wide grin appearing on her face as she turned to her sister once again. She looked ready to throw her arms around her sister, but she held back for the sake of Carys' comfort. </p><p>"It must have been awesome being able to freeze the palace like that," Iris remarked. "I think that you did a great job, getting out on your own. We might not have been able to see it, but... You're amazing, Carys."</p><p>Carys smiled at Iris. "Thank you for the compliment... I'm certainly getting better with my power," she replied. </p><p>The room was heavy for a moment as everyone waited for Carys to continue. When she didn't, the ice enchantress sighed. "What? Why are you looking at me like that?"</p><p>"No bragging?" S.M. questioned, raising an eyebrow to Carys. "That's oddly out of character for you."</p><p>Carys hesitated before speaking up again. "Let's just say that I enjoyed a moment of self-reflection," she eventually said. "That's all you really need to know about it. I would prefer not to dump everything out on you, thank you very much."</p><p>Tanith was the one to break the next veil of silence that fell upon the room. "Either way, we're happy to have you back... If you need anything, all you need to do is say so," she told Carys. </p><p>Carys yawned, raising one hand to cover her mouth. "For now, I'm just tired. I think I'm going to take a nap. I'll see you all soon," she declared before shuffling off to her room. She shut the door behind her, and the main area of the dorm was left quiet as the girls all watched her, enjoying the fact that she was back to them once again. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Me? Posting updates early? What is this witchcraft?! </p><p>-Digital</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. XIX: Dark Shine</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Carys and S.M. bond in the aftermath of the events on Igni while Surion is approached by an unexpected figure.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Michaela and Alistair both approached the main area of Sacred Heart, River standing between them. The member of the Alight Five had been rather passive since first being seized, and they refused to fight back against the two Alitia staff members. Even now, they stared solemnly at the ground, not wanting to step out of line. </p><p>Night had fallen on Millennia, and Sacred Heart's common area was empty as could be. However, two figures could be seen across the open space in the darkness, one of which was holding a small flickering fireball. The faces of Minerva and Leviathan were lit dimly in the light as they grew closer to where Michaela, Alistair, and River were. </p><p>Since River arrived on Millennia, Michaela had been working to make accommodations for them to utilize, but it was a slow quest so far. However, Minerva had wound up volunteering to look after them until a permanent solution was found, and that brought the five together in the dead of night in Sacred Heart. </p><p>Michaela had originally been planning on coming alone, but Alistair couldn't hide his curiosity when he heard that River was at Alitia. He found their magic fascinating and immediately got to work in conducting various observations and tests without ever needing to lay a finger on the former general. It was strange to see him at work in such a way, but Michaela didn't move to stop him in the slightest. After all, anything that would bring them more information about River's magic was likely for the best. </p><p>"Thank you for bringing them here," Minerva announced once the group was close. The rest of the people in the school building had long since fallen asleep, and the eerie silence of the entryway had Minerva's voice echoing through the darkened space. </p><p>"You're welcome," Alistair said simply with a kind smile and a bow of his head. "We're happy to have been able to help you. So far, General Scorn has proven to be a rather incredible subject to observe. Thank you for being so compliant."</p><p>River didn't offer much of an answer, simply nodding and avoiding his gaze to stare at the ground. They could feel the heat stirring beneath their skin once again, and it was starting to grow uncomfortable. Perhaps they had become too attached to the cold that came with Carys' presence in the short time that the two of them were together. They certainly longed for her to be there with her icy magic in that instant. </p><p>Leviathan seemed to notice their discomfort and took a step forwards, feeling their warm skin. Everyone else in the circle felt slightly hotter than he did due to possessing light or fire magic, but it didn't seem to bother him. </p><p>Leviathan's form began to distort, and with a quick shift, he changed into something else entirely. This time, he appeared to be a small snake of some sort. He slid around River's neck, showing no signs of malice as he settled down atop their shoulders. River was naturally tense at first, unsure of how to respond to such a bizarre action, but they soon released the knots in their body when they realized how lovely Leviathan's scales felt on their skin. </p><p>He was an ice creature of some sort, and his scales brought a soothing feeling to River. They let out a small sigh, closing their eyes in joy at the contact. The rest of the group watched them carefully, and Alistair let out a hum of observation as he nodded to himself. Aside from that small action, everyone in the party was still as a statue. </p><p>Minerva let out a small sigh and took a step forward, wrapping one hand around River's wrist and pulling them along. River didn't object to such, instead looking briefly to where Michaela and Alistair were standing before walking behind Minerva. </p><p>"We'll see you later," Leviathan said simply, raising the tip of his tail in a waving action before settling down once again on the back of River's neck. He didn't seem bothered by what he was doing in the slightest. </p><p>Michaela nodded and waved herself before turning on her heel. Alistair trailed behind her by a few paces, and soon enough, it was as if nothing had happened in the lobby when Minerva, River, and Leviathan disappeared for another area of the school. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>It was oddly early the next morning when S.M. rose up in her bed. She had always enjoyed simple pleasures like sleeping in late, but there was something about this morning that had her getting up earlier than usual. S.M. covered a yawn with one hand before starting to stretch her arms high above her head. </p><p>S.M. slowly slid her way out of bed, taking special care to not wake Sylvia. The energy enchantress was curled up into a small ball, clutching tight to a stuffed bear as she snored gently. S.M. smiled to herself at the sight before continuing to head for the door. She slowly pushed it open, and she cringed at the creaking sound. Luckily for her, Sylvia was a far heavier sleeper than anyone else in the group, so the noise didn't wake her. </p><p>S.M. walked into the main area of the dorm and sat down on the couch, leaning her head back against the backrest. A light sigh left her lips as she closed her eyes once again. Everything had been moving so fast since the mission on Igni. It was hard to believe that only a day and a half had passed since then. </p><p>It was Sunday now, so classes were going to be starting up again the next day. The rest of the day would undoubtedly be dedicated to finishing up any work that would be necessary for the regular class schedule, though she didn't particularly mind. While homework could be frustrating, it was perfectly mundane for her after the adventure that the past few days had been. She was happy to embrace a bit of normality in the aftermath of all that. </p><p>Another sound echoing through the dorm had S.M. sitting up fully, and she realized that she was not alone. She glanced around in curiosity before her gaze fell on the room that Iris and Carys shared. Carys was walking out, and S.M.'s eyes went wide with surprise. Carys had always been a late sleeper, naturally taking the longest to wake up out of the girls in the dorm. S.M. had been surprised to wake up so early herself on a Sunday, but Carys being awake when the sun was still creeping above the horizon was a different beast entirely. </p><p>Carys noticed S.M., but she didn't say a word until well after the door to her shared room with Iris was shut. She shuffled over to the couch, still looking rather exhausted. She looked better than she had the night before since she had been given time to recover in the aftermath of the mess on Igni, but it would still be a stretch to say that she was particularly enjoying herself quite yet. </p><p>"Hey," Carys spoke up, and S.M. felt shock and suspicion course through her. She and Carys didn't talk all that much, perhaps on account of Carys being her polar opposite in personality. Carys was good at deceiving others to get what she wanted while S.M. preferred brutal honesty. S.M. hated people who acted fake or hid the way they truly were while Carys grew perfect at it after years of practice. Carys was cold with others while S.M. could be somewhat hot-headed when fired up. </p><p>In fact, there was only one trait they seemed to have in common, and that was their undying stubbornness. Perhaps that was another reason they clashed so frequently. If an argument broke out among two members of the group, it was most often between them. S.M. hadn't ever grown close to Carys simply because she never bothered, and she figured that the ice enchantress would never want to reach out to her either. Why would she try if she knew that it likely wasn't going to end in her favor?</p><p>Seeing Carys extend a hand this way was strange, and S.M. wasn't sure of how to approach it. She swallowed back her nerves and confusion before speaking up. "Hey," she replied simply, not sure of what else she was supposed to say. There was a lot to talk about, but S.M. couldn't find the words that would make everything flow. </p><p>"I wanted to apologize," Carys said next. She wasn't looking to S.M., instead training her gaze on the ground as she pressed her palms into her knees. She seemed eager to continue speaking, but her words were failing her. </p><p>S.M.'s eyes went wide, and she looked over to Carys, letting her hands fall into her lap. "What are you talking about?" she questioned, staying as cautious as possible to keep from aggravating Carys somehow along the way. </p><p>Carys let out a heavy sigh. "I did a lot of thinking while I was on Igni, and... I wanted to say sorry for how stubborn and stuck-up I've been since coming here. I feel like I have to say this to everyone, but you in particular deserve an apology from me," she continued. "I'm sorry for what I've been doing to you since we met earlier this school year."</p><p>S.M. continued to watch her, unsure of what else she was supposed to say in order to follow up on that. This was an important moment for them both, and it was important to tread carefully. When she couldn't think of anything to say, S.M. simply let Carys continue, figuring that she would find something to say eventually. </p><p>"I know it's somewhat hard to get along with me sometimes," Carys began. "Back home, I was raised to be as perfect as possible no matter the consequences. I had to take over a planet, after all... But my parents weren't looking for someone humble who would interact well with others. They wanted someone who would flaunt openly about how perfect they were. I didn't wind up fitting the bill of what they were looking for, at least not in the start, so they pushed me into it."</p><p>"Helena told me about what life was like back at the palace," S.M. piped up at long last. "She said that you were suffering deep down just as much as she was." S.M. didn't trust herself to say anything else without growing snappy, so she did her best to keep her tongue still. </p><p>"I don't know if I would go that far, but... Helena cared about me as a person. She didn't want the future queen of Etruna. She just wanted Carys. It... It's sweet to think about, looking back. She wanted to be with me simply because I was her sister. It's not often you find someone like that when you're in the royal family of Etruna. She was tossed aside for not being me, but she never held any malice towards me for it. She's too nice," Carys continued. </p><p>S.M. wasn't going to object to that. In fact, she fully agreed with Carys in thinking that Helena was incredibly kind. It was practically impossible to raise an opposing viewpoint when it came to how sweet Helena Palpatine was. </p><p>"I guess what I'm trying to say here is that I'm sorry for everything I've done to be rude and all that. I shouldn't have let my ego get the better of me. I don't want to be treated like I'm better than everyone else anymore. I want to be treated like a person," Carys went on. "And I figured I would start with you. After all, we spent a lot of time butting heads... As weird as this is to say, I'm almost glad everything's been going to hell lately. It makes us get along rather than giving us the time we would have otherwise used on arguing and being petty with one another."</p><p>S.M. let out a snort, unable to deny that fact. The genuine nature of Carys' words was starting to sink in, and she let out a smile. "Alright... I forgive you," she managed to say. "Maybe we should just... Start over. I don't know if it would be productive in the long term, but... You know what I mean. Put all that previous stuff past us."</p><p>Carys nodded. "I would be fine with that... I'm going to try and get better. It's not like you can change overnight when dealing with something like this, but... Still, I feel like it's worth putting in the effort, you know?" she asked. "Plus, you're all changing me for the better already. I think that being in the same dorm as the rest of you is going to help me out a lot as time goes by."</p><p>"Yeah. We're all good for each other," S.M. agreed. "I feel like Helena would say the same about you changing. Looking back, I sort of see it too... Around the time we started hanging out with Nebula, you began to shift. You were nicer then, but it was never as obvious a change as the one you're showing me right now."</p><p>Carys smiled lightly. "I'm glad you noticed... The last thing I would want is to come off as a brat for the rest of our time here," she admitted softly. "Thanks for talking to me about this stuff. I know it can't be easy dealing with someone like me."</p><p>S.M. looked down with a frown. "I do have to ask though... What caused this drastic change in the first place? You said you were thinking, but... You didn't mention much else," she murmured. </p><p>Carys sighed. "Yeah, about that... I thought the poison in my veins was going to kill me. It was either that or I would be used as a pawn to start a war between Igni and either Millennia or Etruna. I couldn't talk or move, and then I started dreaming about my childhood life back home. After that, everything spiraled, and then I was Sealed," she explained. </p><p>When Carys had gone into the details of her exploits on Igni earlier on, she hadn't gone into details about what led to her becoming a Sealed One. She simply said that she had an epiphany that resulted in her being chosen by the gods. Hearing about it in this light certainly made the pieces come together. </p><p>"You were so determined to get back here and apologize to us that the gods realized you were worthy," S.M. murmured with a small smile. "I guess you're not as high and mighty as you try to make yourself seem."</p><p>Carys shook her head. "Not anymore. I'm going to get better. That much I can swear to you all. I have to use this new power I got for the sake of good, and since I got it by improving myself... Well, the next step seems perfectly clear to me," she told S.M. firmly. </p><p>Another door started to stir from nearby, and S.M. looked up to see that the light in Luce and Helena's room had been flicked on at some point during their conversation. Helena came walking out, and S.M. suspected that Luce was up and moving around inside. After all, the former mercenary woke up the earliest out of the group on a regular basis, so to think that she was still sleeping was somewhat ridiculous. </p><p>"What are you two doing up so early?" Helena questioned, shutting the door carefully when she saw the other three rooms still had the lights off. Helena herself was still in her pajamas, not having seen a reason to get dressed quite yet. "I didn't think you would want to wake up so soon after everything that happened on Igni, Carys."</p><p>Carys shrugged. "I wanted to get a moment to talk with S.M. about everything," she replied. "I think that we're going to get along a lot better in the future." She gave S.M. a smile, and, surprising even herself, S.M. returned it a few seconds later. </p><p>Helena looked back and forth between the two in surprise. "Wait... You're serious? I didn't think this would ever happen, I must admit... But I know I'm not complaining," she remarked, sitting down beside Carys on the couch. "I'm happy that things are getting better for you both. I was worried for a while that we were going to have to worry about breaking up fights between you two forever."</p><p>S.M. shook her head. "Nope... Who knew that a genuine apology was all you really needed to make things better?" she questioned simply. "Oddly enough, Faerner and Eros did us quite a bit of good by taking Carys back to Igni. It gave her time to think about life, and then she wound up as a Sealed One. How does it feel to be part of the club?"</p><p>Carys grinned. "Amazing! I've always had lots of magic naturally, but this is a sensation unlike anything I've ever felt. It's incredible to know that there's so much power at my fingertips," she told S.M., holding one of her palms up and watching as a spiral of ice shot out from it. </p><p>"You know, I was expecting everyone to be Sealed over a longer timeframe, but I'm not complaining that we already have two people like this on our side," Helena told the girls. "Soon enough, I'm sure the rest of us will join you. Who knows who the other four will be? I'm willing to bet on Anneliese, Nebula, and Cessair, but... I don't know who the final one will wind up being."</p><p>Carys shrugged. "I bet we'll figure it out soon enough. Until then, I'm more than happy with where I am right now," she said simply, closing her eyes as a smile worked its way across her features. The grin was the most genuine she had created in a long time, and it felt perfect on her lips. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Surion sat atop the throne in the Igni palace, staring down at the ground as he tossed a small piece of volcanic rock back and forth between his hands. Ever since the palace had been frozen and subsequently thawed, he had been in a rotten mood. He had been given a captive that would make everything easier, but then she managed to worm her way out, and she was only an Isolis mage. On top of that, River had been captured, and there was no way for him to get into contact with them. Overall, everything was going to hell, and he was far from happy with the outcome. </p><p>The doors of the throne room rattled lightly as someone knocked upon them. Surion frowned to himself. He couldn't say that he was expecting guests. Despite this, he still let out a sigh. "Enter," he commanded, placing the fiery rock in his right palm before making it disappear. </p><p>A figure of complete darkness walked into the room. Surion sat up, his back straightening out fully at the sight. The person in question had a build Surion didn't recognize in the slightest, but he got the feeling he would figure everything out soon enough. </p><p>It was clear that the person was hiding their true identity behind a spell that created the illusion of darkness. They were tall and had the symbol of Moonlight across their chest. No matter what he did, Surion knew he wasn't going to be breaking through that barrier anytime soon, so he didn't bother. Instead, he asked the most obvious question that sprung to his mind. "Who are you supposed to be?"</p><p>The person let out a chuckle, and Surion could tell by the unnaturally deep voice that this was likely a man. "I am someone who is here to help you," the person responded simply. "I know that you have been struggling as of late with people who have posed a threat to your rule. I wish to make your job easier."</p><p>Surion arched an eyebrow, looking to the mark of Moonlight suspiciously. "And just how are you going to be doing that?" he questioned. "I will have you escorted from this building if you do not begin specifying soon, you know."</p><p>The man laughed once again. "Of course. I am the Keeper of Moonlight, and I am here to give you and a few of your comrades a gift," he explained. He raised one hand, creating a sphere of churning black energy. "I am willing to offer you and your Alight Five generals a Moonlight Blessing. That would make it much easier for you to defeat those who stand in your way."</p><p>Surion gasped in surprise. He had not expected to have an audience with the Keeper of Moonlight of all people. After all, the Church of Moonlight had done a pretty damn good job of keeping him hidden from the world in recent years, ensuring that he never saw the light of day to pay for the actions of the previous Keeper, Ragnor. </p><p>The Keeper of Moonlight either didn't notice his shock or chose to ignore it. "I will do what I must to ensure your victory over the atrocious figures who would take your power away for their own gain. You have been looking after Igni for years now, and I would not dare to take that from you," he continued. "Do you accept my gift?"</p><p>What was he supposed to say to something like that? There was only one true response to give when someone was offering to present him with a Moonlight Blessing. He was not going to deny something of that nature. It would be foolish. </p><p>With this in mind, Surion rose to his feet and took a few steps closer to the Keeper of Moonlight. "I accept your gift," Surion declared. "Thank you for your generosity."</p><p>The Keeper of Moonlight nodded. "I will gift you and the Alight Five with a Blessing... Are there any others who would require this aid as well?" he asked. </p><p>"There is one other... Faerner. He has come to be one of my trusted advisors in this battle," Surion answered. "He would be unmatched if he had the power of a Moonlight Blessing by his side."</p><p>"Then it shall be done," the Keeper of Moonlight declared. He held up both of his hands, palms facing the tall ceilings of the throne room. Seven spheres appeared above his hands, circling slowly in the dim light of the morning. The speed of the orbs began to increase, and after a while, six of them were sent spiraling elsewhere as the final one moved towards Surion, pressing into his chest. </p><p>Immediately, Surion felt power surge through him. He didn't know how to describe it, simply knowing that something about him was different. He let one hand rise to his chest covering the place where the orb had entered his body. There was an electric sensation coursing through him already, and he knew that the Blessing was growing more powerful as it circulated through him. </p><p>"Incredible..." Surion whispered. He looked to his hand and created a flame made of pure black energy. A mad grin appeared on his face, and he looked up to where the Keeper of Moonlight was standing.</p><p>However, when he glanced at the spot where the Keeper had been, Surion found it empty. He shrugged it off, too focused on the magic that was slowly making him feel stronger than ever before. His magic was going to be unparalleled from that day onwards. All he had to do was step onto a battlefield, and everything would be over for the opposing team. </p><p>He moved back to his throne and let out a small sigh. He was going to have to plan for another battle soon. Millennia wouldn't know what hit it whenever he was finished with that pathetic excuse of a planet. It was only a matter of time before it crumbled as dust beneath his heel...</p><p>~~~~~</p><p>River shot awake in the dawn light of Sacred Heart. They were positioned in a room isolated from the rest of the building that had a powerful locking charm on it. They weren't planning on trying to break through the door, but all of a sudden, they felt as if they could do that and so much more without even trying. </p><p>They could feel their skin tingling on their shoulder, and they frowned to themselves. River swung their feet over the side of the bed they were sitting on and walked over to where a mirror was standing nearby, propped against the wall at a gentle angle. </p><p>River pulled their shirt's neck area down over their shoulder, giving them a perfect view of the symbol that was manifesting on their skin. Their eyes went wide as they stared at it, and they immediately pulled the fabric back over the marking. This could not be happening. How the hell would something of this nature wind up occurring in the first place? </p><p>It took a moment for River to work up the courage to pull the fabric back over their shoulder to look at the mark, but when they did, their stomach immediately twisted into a knot. How was this happening? It couldn't be real, right? How would they get a Moonlight Blessing? The Keeper of Moonlight was scarcely allowed outside of the Church of Moonlight. Why would the Keeper think of them as worthy for a Blessing? How would they even gift it without coming into contact with them?</p><p>Perhaps it was possible to gift a Blessing from afar, but they didn't want to acknowledge that theoretical. It would only make things more complicated for them to figure out, and as it was, this string of events was giving them a headache. It couldn't be real, and yet it was. </p><p>River took a step away from the mirror and looked down at their hand. After taking in a deep, shaky breath, they created a spark from their hand. Sure enough, it glowed with a dark purple hue. When they tried it again using their other hand, the regular color of their power appeared. </p><p>They could use both the power of their regular magic and the Moonlight Blessing. There was no doubt about it. </p><p>River walked over to their bed once again and sunk over themselves, placing their head in their hands. What were they supposed to do about something like this? Everyone was bound to ask questions. Why did this have to happen now? They had just been able to switch sides away from Igni, but they were marked with Moonlight when they hadn't been the night before. That was bound to evoke a negative reaction from someone that they were staying with. </p><p>They looked out the window nearby, watching as the sun continued to climb its way over the horizon. They felt as if they were going to be sick, but they were going to have to face the day in spite of this, no matter how much they despised this idea with every fiber of their being. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>With the palace unfrozen, Briyana no longer had anything to marvel at. She shrugged such off and continued navigating her way through the capital city near the castle. A hum was on her lips, but she didn't let the sound buzz too loud so that others could hear it. After all, the last thing she needed to do was make someone suspicious of her actions when it seemed to her that change was finally within her grasp. </p><p>If she had received correct information, there was something unique happening within the palace. To be specific, River had been abducted by the person who had frozen the palace in the first place. The person in question was Carys Palpatine, a princess and the heir of Etruna. Briyana had more than a few questions about this, but she figured that they could wait. After all, the answers would likely come her way sooner or later. </p><p>It was clear that cracks were appearing in the armor. Ever since the death of Octavia, Igni was showing signs of change being on the horizon. River disappearing was simply a symptom of this greater issue, though it was far from being a problem for Briyana. If Igni was going to start to fall apart at the seams, then she was going to sure as hell exploit this until everything began to sway in her favor, began to sway in the revolution's favor. </p><p>It was a shame that Octavia couldn't be there to see the culmination of their hard work, but Briyana wasn't going to let her death be in vain. As soon as she figured out who the monster that killed her was, she wasn't going to hold back, even if that wound up being the king himself. The widespread rumors claimed that it was a half-leath princess, but Briyana wasn't foolish enough to fall for such petty phrases. Why would someone with leath blood want to kill a person fighting for leath liberation all across Igni? The pieces simply didn't fit together. </p><p>Briyana was going to figure it out though. She was determined to find the full truth behind Octavia's death sooner or later no matter how hard she had to fight in order to drag it kicking and screaming out into the light. Octavia would have wanted everyone to know what happened, and Briyana refused to give up on the wishes of her friend following her death. Briyana's loyalty was far stronger than that. </p><p>The steps to the revolution were becoming clearer, and Briyana was going to follow them. Using the power of charisma, she was going to lead Igni into a new age. She was going to ensure that this planet was wiped free of its discriminatory ways, prompting it to rise into a new land that appreciated the work of the downtrodden far more. No matter what difficulties appeared in her path, Briyana was going to overcome them. That much was a promise she was determined not to break. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>If you thought we were done with the Keeper of Moonlight hoooooo boy were you wrong</p><p>-Digital</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. XX: Shadows and Flames</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Leviathan sneaks into Igni and learns something unexpected.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A few days had passed since Carys' return to Millennia from Igni. Classes started back up again for the week, and Luce shuffled into her early morning history class. This was the first time she had seen Cessair since everything that happened, and she couldn't bring herself to look up to the redheaded enchantress of water. </p><p>Luckily, she didn't have to. Cessair slid into her regular spot next to Luce with a frown on her face. "Luce... You went to Igni and didn't tell me about it?" she asked, getting right down to the point immediately. Luce could hear the hurt in her voice without having to meet Cessair's gaze. </p><p>Luce let out a sigh. "I'm sorry about that... We were worried about you getting hurt after what happened when the Alight Five attacked," she admitted. "I didn't want to see a repeat of that given how inexperienced you are when it comes to battle."</p><p>"I'm touched that you were so worried about me, but... Luce, if you wanted to pull something like that off, you should have at least told me about it," Cessair pressed. "I'm just glad everything turned out right in the end. After all, I heard about what happened with Carys... I wasn't sure when the right time to talk to you all about that was going to be, but I guess now is just as fine a time as any."</p><p>Luce released a snort of a laugh before nodding. "Yeah... I suppose that you're right there... I'm sorry that we didn't tell you sooner," she said softly. "Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?"</p><p>Cessair smirked and leaned in a bit closer. "Well, there is one thing... I want to hear about everything that happened on Igni between your group and Carys'. For real. I need all the details. Maybe I can put together some sort of plan for our next action," she suggested. </p><p>Luce smiled to herself before nodding. "Alright, I don't see why that would be a problem. In fact, there's something else I think you would love to see. We brought something back with us from Igni, and I get the feeling that you're just the person to check it out for us," she said next. </p><p>"What is it?" Cessair questioned. She leaned in towards Luce, an eager grin spreading across her features. "Don't hold out on me after saying something like that!"</p><p>"It's an axe," Luce explained simply. "In fact, it's the axe Eros uses in battle. S.M. was able to grab it off him while we were fighting with the Alight Five back on Igni, and we brought it back with us. If you want to check it out, you totally can. In fact, it would be great if you told us about it after you've looked over the axe."</p><p>"Sounds like fun to me," Cessair smiled. "I mean, it's not often you get to research magical weapons like that. An axe that channels the power of fire... It's amazing to hear about, and I bet it'll be cooler to see in action."</p><p>"Great. Nobody's asked about it, so I'm willing to hazard a guess that it would be fine if you checked it out. If you want to come by our dorm after classes end today, we can tell you everything that happened and then give you the axe," Luce told her. </p><p>"It's a date. I'll be there as soon as I get the chance to drop by," Cessair agreed. </p><p>Their conversation was cut off when Severine walked into the room. Class began promptly afterwards, though Luce wasn't entirely focused on the history lesson. She kept sneaking glances over at Cessair. She was relieved that her aunt wasn't angry with her for keeping the mission a secret, but she feared she might wind up dragged into something much worse later on. After all, that seemed to be par for the course for those who associated with her group... </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>For the third time in a week, Leviathan was back on Igni. </p><p>He was navigating his way through the halls of the palace with an invisibility charm cast over himself. Nobody was able to see him thanks to its power, and it was perfect for him to spy on people and gain whatever information he needed. </p><p>Leviathan couldn't help but feel as if something was wrong the instant he walked into the castle. There was something different about his expedition this time when compared to the previous two outings, and it churned his stomach in a way he didn't quite know how to describe. The air itself felt sickening to him. </p><p>He dashed in between corners, avoiding any people who might bump into him by a wide berth. Before he left, Leviathan was determined to figure out what the hell was going on with the weird feeling he had. There was undoubtedly something going on, and he felt as if it was going to wind up being important. He had enough of a nose for danger to be able to tell when something was going to wind up spiking downwards, and this seemed to be one of those times. </p><p>Leviathan stopped when he got closer to the throne room. There was something about this area that felt overpowering to him, and he felt as if he was about to throw up. He clapped one hand over his mouth, thankful that he wasn't able to be seen or heard in his sickened state. Still, he pressed his ear to the door and used his other hand to snap a spell into place that would allow him to overhear what was going on inside. </p><p>After a second quick spell, Leviathan was able to see the people who were lurking within. There were four members of the Alight Five inside. All of them except for River were present, though there was one other person with them. Leviathan growled as he recognized this face as Faerner from the fight that ended in Carys' being captured. He had a bone to pick with Faerner, to say the least. </p><p>All five of them were bowing before the king, who was sitting atop his throne, seemingly unbothered by the events unfolding before him. Surion straightened when the rest of the soldiers looked up, and Leviathan felt more nauseous than ever. It was definitely something going on in that room that had made him feel strange, though he couldn't quite say what it was. </p><p>"River has been taken by those brats on Millennia," Surion started off by saying. "Luckily for them, we have the power to lead a rescue. I refuse to allow one of my strongest mages fall so easily, and it will all start very soon... I'm sure that you recognized the power that came to flow within you all last night."</p><p>Faerner let out a small chuckle before nodding. "I did, as a matter of fact... In my dreams, I was contacted by a figure who bore the symbol of Moonlight. I believe that it's clear as day what happened to us last night. The Keeper of Moonlight appeared before us all and granted us their blessings," he declared. </p><p>Leviathan stifled a gasp by clamping his teeth down on his bottom lip. He yelped silently at the sudden influx of pain, and he made a mental note to figure out a healing spell when he got back to Millennia. He continued to listen as he cradled his torso tighter, and the pieces began to snap into place for him. </p><p>The awful feeling he had must have come from the Moonlight Blessings. If there were really six of them within the palace, it was no wonder he felt so suddenly overpowered by them. Leviathan had grown used to being with people who had weaker Starlight Blessings, and going from that to fresh Blessings of Moonlight was quite a shift. He knew the others back on Millennia were going to need to hear about this as soon as possible. </p><p>"Exactly," Surion told Faerner, dragging Leviathan back to reality immediately. "I would like you all to act soon... In the place of shadows and fire, strike. In a few hours, I will give the official order. Until then, begin to prepare your powers of Moonlight. The enemies have no way of knowing the truth, and when we attack, they will be at a severe disadvantage. Now, go. River will return to us soon, and when you walk away from Millennia, you will be leaving that planet behind as nothing but ashes."</p><p>The Alight Five's remaining members and Faerner all bowed to Surion one last time before moving for the door. Leviathan immediately shifted into a small lizard and scaled the wall until he was on the ceiling, looking down on the group from above. There was something odd going on there, though he didn't realize it until the Alight Five and Faerner were walking out of the throne room. </p><p>After they exited the room, the mages began to go their separate ways. However, Faerner remained close to Eros, something that clearly was not planned by the latter, who snarled at him fiercely. Regardless, Faerner did not seem angered, and he was happy to trail after Eros in spite of his fury. </p><p>Leviathan dropped to the ground a few moments later, shifting back to his regular form while still remaining under the disguise of invisibility. His mind was cast back to the words of the king during the meeting. What did it mean to attack the place of shadows and fire? He couldn't think of any notable locations on Millennia that incorporated both darkness and flames into its theming. Besides, how was that supposed to go hand-in-hand with rescuing River? Leviathan was going to have to figure it out as soon as possible though, because from the sound of things, he only had a few hours to get back and warn everyone. </p><p>Even if he didn't have an answer quite yet, there was something that he could explain to Minerva and everyone else once he got back to Millennia. They needed to know as soon as possible that Moonlight Blessings had been distributed among the Alight Five mages. Leviathan didn't know how that had happened given that the Keeper of Moonlight was supposed to still be hidden from the world as per the agreement between the churches of Starlight and Moonlight, but he was going to need an answer soon, especially if the Keeper had distributed Blessings among the generals of the enemy army. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>When Cessair got to the dorm, only Luce, Helena, Carys, and Tanith were there. Sophia, Sylvia, and Iris had decided to go to the library for some extra studying time, and S.M. was out visiting her sister. However, those four were more than able to fill in the details for Cessair about what happened on Igni. </p><p>Luce easily picked up the mangled mess that had once been Eros' axe and handed it over to Cessair, though the water enchantress struggled with carrying it. She was far less strong than Luce, something the former mercenary realized as Cessair's knees nearly buckled beneath the pressure. After a quick agreement that Luce would drop off the axe in Cessair's room, the five girls shared a laugh. </p><p>Once their giggles died down, Cessair let out a somber sigh. "It sounds like you've all been through a lot these past few days... Seriously. I guess that you guys simply can't catch a break after everything that's happening," she remarked. "But I'm still super relieved that everything is alright. I know that it's been stressful to cope with everything so far."</p><p>"We have everything under control," Carys asserted confidently. It was clear to see already that she was starting to change, and while nobody had openly mentioned it that day, it was one of those slight evolutions that didn't need to be spoken of. Despite the group being silent on the matter, the group's shared sense of appreciation hung in the air for sure. </p><p>"I'm glad to hear that," Cessair grinned. "I mean, we still have a lot of business to take care of as a group of friends. You know, there are things for us to do that we haven't taken care of yet. I mean, we never got out to Millennium City to go on our shopping spree with Nebula and Anneliese, and I was definitely looking forward to that."</p><p>"You weren't the only one," Helena laughed. "Maybe after things have calmed down we can take advantage of the city once again. For the time being, we're still being kept on campus to ensure that we don't suffer under the Alight Five's actions once again, but once Headmistress Satim is sure that it's alright to go out, you know for sure that we'll be going into the city."</p><p>"It sounds like a plan!" Cessair chirped with a bright smile. "Well, I bet that you have a lot of things to take care of tonight, so I won't keep you any longer. Luce, could you help me back to my room with this axe? I already want to start looking into it. There's something about it that I find captivating, even if it's sort of a mess of scrap metal at the moment."</p><p>Luce chuckled at Cessair's comment. "If you need it straightened out, all you need to do is ask Iris about it. I'm sure that she'd be able to fix all the issues with the axe," she assured Cessair. </p><p>"I'll be sure to keep that in mind," Cessair nodded. "Now, let's get going. We have other business to take care of, like taking this giant fire weapon back to my room. To the teachers' wing!"</p><p>Luce and Cessair both had smiles on their faces as they walked away from the dorm, leaving Carys, Helena, and Tanith inside to watch them go. Tanith shut the door once the two girls had disappeared before flopping backwards onto the couch. Even if she didn't say anything, it was clear that something was bothering her. </p><p>Helena frowned and sat down next to Tanith carefully. "Are you alright? You seem stressed," she commented. </p><p>Tanith shook her head. "It's nothing to worry about... I guess I'm just freaked out with everything that's been happening lately. Jin can't stop calling to ask if I'm okay. I think the incident on Igni scared him," she murmured. </p><p>"It was pretty frightening," Carys agreed, sitting down on Tanith's other side. "But we're going to figure something out, alright? If there's anything you need from us, all you need to do is say so, okay?"</p><p>Tanith nodded. "Thanks, girls... For now, I think I'm going to take a nap. I haven't been sleeping all that well," she told them, rising to her feet and walking to the dorm room she shared with Sophia. "I'll see you later."</p><p>Tanith turned her head over her shoulder to wave, and her gaze caught the exposed skin between Carys' collarbones. Her eyes lingered there for a moment too long before she sighed and walked into her room, shutting the door behind her. She wasn't about to admit it, but Jin's worry wasn't the only reason she had been losing sleep as of late, and Gemini and Scorpio were most certainly to blame as well. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>"Why didn't you tell me that you were planning on going to Igni?"</p><p>S.M. shifted uncomfortably under Mina's gaze. At her sister's request, S.M. had gone to Mina's dorm to speak with her once classes ended for the day. Mina had heard about the expedition to Igni since S.M. had returned with the rest of her companions, and to put it simply, Mina had not been happy with the information. </p><p>"You could have been hurt or killed out there. I know that you were trying to do a good thing, but intentions matter little when it comes to life and death," Mina pressed sternly. "I just want to make sure that you're kept safe. You're the only family that I have left now, Sana. I don't want to lose you now."</p><p>S.M. cringed at the usage of her full first name, and she looked up to Mina with a frown. "Listen, I... I'm sorry. I know that you worry about me, and I shouldn't have gone so far without telling you about it first. At least we were able to figure things out, and everything is fine now. I know you freaked out, but it's alright now."</p><p>Mina let out a frustrated huff. "But what if it hadn't been alright?" she questioned. "Things could have so easily gone terribly wrong, and while I'm glad everything turned out fine, the idea of things going poorly has worried me for ages now. Please, the next time you're planning on doing something like this, at least tell me where you're going to be ahead of time."</p><p>S.M. nodded. "Yeah... Alright," she murmured. "I promise to tell you the next time I go off to do something dangerous." </p><p>Mina looked down with closed eyes before sighing. "I'm just happy you're okay... Now, tell me all about what happened. I want to hear the details from you personally," she insisted, slowly adjusting her gaze to focus on her sister. </p><p>S.M. felt some of the tension in the room melt away, and she nodded. "Alright. I'll get right into it," she told Mina. </p><p>Mina held up her hand before S.M. could start speaking. "Oh, yeah... Before we start, I want you to know that I'm going to have a visitor tomorrow. My girlfriend is dropping by from Sacred Heart, and I finally want you two to meet up," she said. </p><p>S.M.'s eyes went wide. She had heard of Mina's girlfriend in passing before, but she hadn't been given the chance to actually meet the Sacred Heart witch. Life somehow always seemed to get in the way between the issues with the Possession Master the previous semester and the Alight Five this time classes got back in session. </p><p>"Seriously?" S.M. questioned. "I can't believe we finally managed to figure out a time for me to meet her. It feels like you've been telling me that we were going to meet up for ages now, but it never wound up coming to pass."</p><p>"After what happened on Igni, I got all scared, and... I wanted to make sure that you got the chance to meet her before you started charging off to do stupid crap," Mina explained. </p><p>S.M.'s stomach churned in guilt, and she cringed at Mina's words. "Yeah... Alright. I totally deserve that... But I'm looking forward to meeting up with your girlfriend. I'd love to talk with her after all I've heard about her from you," she told Mina. </p><p>"Good. I'm glad you understand the plan then," Mina said with a smile. "Now, let's get back to that explanation... Don't hold any details back."</p><p>S.M. sighed when the attention shifted back over to her escape to Igni. "Okay... Fine." Without any further objections, she started to tell the story, doing what she could to ignore the pressing gaze of Mina boring into her skull. Unfortunately, it was much harder than she expected, and waiting to see Mina's reaction was absolutely agonizing. </p><p>Afterwards, Mina looked at her with a frown. "I... I'm just glad you're safe." Her voice was soft, and she pulled S.M. into a hug. "Stay out of trouble, okay?"</p><p>S.M. was shocked still at first, but she eventually relaxed into the embrace and returned the gesture. "Got it."</p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Aurore and Caius were waiting in Ridgeview when Leviathan stepped out of a rift onto the courtyard of the school. The sun was starting to set, casting a twilight shadow across the evening grass. Aurore, who had been standing at the window of Caius' office, smiled to herself when she caught a peek of the shapeshifter. Caius didn't have to see what had made her so happy to know that Leviathan had returned. </p><p>Less than two minutes later, Leviathan knocked on the door to the office. Rather than waiting for someone to get the door for him, he simply walked inside, a frown on his face. "I've got new info... But it's not something you're going to like," he said intensely. There was something ominous about seeing Leviathan without his typical goofy grin that made the room's atmosphere grow tense and chilly. </p><p>"What is it? Did you learn anything else about the princess?" Caius questioned. He rose from his seat behind his desk and walked closer to Leviathan, a cautious frown on his face. </p><p>"No, not at all... But I did hear that something happened with the Alight Five. It seems to apply to River as well, so we're going to need to pass this information onto Minerva as soon as possible," Leviathan went on. "It has to do with the Keeper of Moonlight... I was so sure that the Keeper wasn't going to be showing their face ever again, but... I guess I was wrong in my assumptions."</p><p>Aurore's eyes went wide, and her gut twisted in concern. "What are you talking about? What about the Keeper?" she asked. There was only one fact that Aurore really knew about the current Keeper of Moonlight, and it was that they had supplied Iago Thanatos with a Moonlight blessing, starting the Thanatos War. That simple action caused a terrible spiral that ended with destruction across the surface of Millennia, and it had been nothing short of a disaster. Even if Aurore hadn't been there to witness the fighting, she had heard more than enough to harbor a deep feeling of hate for the Keeper of Moonlight. </p><p>Caius seemed to have caught on as well, and caution had been replaced with fear in his features. "No... You can't be serious..." he whispered. He was so shocked that it looked as if his heart had stopped in his chest for a moment. </p><p>Leviathan hesitated before nodding solemnly. "Yes... I am. The Alight Five, this Faerner character, and King Surion Irikai all have Moonlight Blessings now courtesy of our unknown Keeper," he explained heavily. "I was so sure that the Church of Moonlight was going to be keeping that punk under control, and yet, here we are. The last time they gave out a Blessing, it resulted in mass destruction and trauma. I don't know what the hell they're thinking by handing it to an anti-leath radical pile of trash who's already shown himself to be violent and overall politically unstable."</p><p>The room was thick with tense silence after Leviathan finished speaking. Caius' hands tightened into fists, and he slammed his arm against the nearby wall. "Damn it," he hissed under his breath. "I don't know what the hell is going on here, but I know that it can't be good. The Church of Moonlight is going to have to pay for this."</p><p>"As worrying as it is, I feel like we should worry about something else," Leviathan told him. "I do agree that we should get into contact with the Church of Moonlight. They may have been able to feign innocence and avoid accountability after the Thanatos War, but they can't get away with something of this nature happening on multiple occasions... But there was one other thing I heard, and it arguably makes things worse."</p><p>"What is it?" Aurore asked, eyes wide in fear. After all that Leviathan had mentioned, it didn't seem that things could get any worse, and yet, he seemed intent on surprising them. Aurore had known Leviathan for a long time, and she knew that his moments of solemn quiet pointed to something terrible happening. He was far too open and optimistic to be let down often, so when it did happen, it was terrifying for her. </p><p>"They're going to launch an attack on an unknown location," Leviathan replied. "There wasn't a name given by the king. He simply called it the place of shadow and flames. I don't know what that could possibly mean, but they're going to lash out soon."</p><p>"I'll do what research I can to figure out what that means. It's obviously code for something... I bet they're trying to be as careful as possible now that River is gone. They're down one member, and they don't want anyone to release any inopportune information," Aurore said with a frown. "Is there anyone else who might be able to help us out?"</p><p>"I'll pass on the message to the rest of the head teachers. Maybe they'll be able to figure it out," Caius declared. He glanced out the window and saw that the sun had disappeared over the horizon, leaving the starry sky behind in its place. "It's getting late. You should probably head back to Sierra soon to get some rest. If they really are going to attack, we don't want you to be exhausted."</p><p>"Plus, maybe Fromir could help us out," Leviathan suggested. For once, he didn't use the nickname he had adapted for the headmaster of Sierra, abandoning his typical 'Fromi' due to the severity of the situation. "He's shown himself to be pretty smart so far, and I bet he would be more than happy to help us determine what the king meant by a place of shadows and flames."</p><p>"Perfect," Caius nodded. "I'll see you all later. Try to stay out of trouble until we see each other again, alright?"</p><p>Aurore and Leviathan both nodded their understanding before walking out of the office. After they vanished from sight, Caius let out a sigh. He had a bad feeling about this...</p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Sophia was curled up in her bed within Alitia, sleeping soundly as could be. Tanith was in the nearby bed, though the enchantress of air was wide awake, staring up at the ceiling with a heavy frown on her features. She looked over to Sophia with a light sigh, trying not to wake the other girl. Sophia was one of the lighter sleepers among the group, and she didn't want to risk accidentally shaking the girl from slumber. </p><p>Sleepless nights had already come to establish themselves as normal for Tanith in the nights since their return from Igni. At first, she had been worried about Carys, but after the girl returned, Tanith's worries shifted to the idea of being a Sealed One. She had an awful feeling about what was happening, and she got the feeling that being Sealed was far more complicated than she was being led to believe. </p><p>Tanith rolled over onto her other side, willing herself to go to sleep after being conscious for far too long. Her attempts to nap earlier that afternoon had failed, leaving her drowsier than ever before. She was glad that she could function rather well on low sleep, because if she didn't have that advantage, classes were going to be hell for her the next day. </p><p>Tanith was about to plunge into the world of darkness when she was suddenly dragged away from sleep. Her eyes swept shut before shooting back open at the sound of a distant vibration. She sat up in bed with a frown and started to look around to figure out what that sound could possibly be. </p><p>Sophia groaned at hearing the noise as well and rubbed at her eyes as she started to look around. In the end, Sophia's gaze fell upon the table beside her. Sophia's phone was lit up, vibrating gently from its place on the table. Sophia didn't notice how oddly alert Tanith was as she fumbled for her phone, trying not to look directly at the screen. Her eyes had yet to adjust to the excruciating glare of the light, and she didn't want to strain herself. </p><p>After a few moments of senseless movements, Sophia pressed her finger to the screen, realizing that she was on the receiving end of a call. She moved the phone to her ear as Tanith swung her way out of bed, padding across the floor to sit next to Sophia on the latter's bed. "Hello?" Sophia groaned sleepily, rubbing at her eyes once again with her free hand. </p><p><em>"Sophia," </em>came Anneliese's voice from the other side. It was hushed and hurried, but she was still loud enough for Tanith to hear her from nearby. </p><p>"Why are you calling so late?" Sophia asked groggily, her words slurring together in her exhaustion. Tanith noticed that her hair was sticking out every which way, unbrushed and tangled after a few hours of sleep. </p><p><em>"Get down to Sacred Heart," </em>Anneliese instructed firmly. <em>"Bring as many people as you can. Please come. Now."</em></p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Minerva had not been happy since receiving the news from Caius about what Leviathan had learned on Igni. She stormed through the hallways of Sacred Heart, the edges of her hair growing hot with the threat of flames licking at the back of her neck. Her anger was visible from afar, but luckily, no one was awake to see it. </p><p>Minerva practically threw the door open to River's room, slamming the knob into the nearby wall. River, who had been staring numbly at the ceiling, jumped at Minerva's sudden appearance. River was pale and had fear engraved on their face. </p><p>"Why didn't you tell us?" Minerva practically growled, sounding more animal than human. "Why didn't you mention that you had a Moonlight Blessing?!"</p><p>River was silent at first, their gaze locked on the edges of Minerva's hair. Flames were starting to burn furiously at the red segments of Minerva's short hair, and River forced themselves to tear their gaze away. They opened their mouth and shut it when they couldn't find words. </p><p>Minerva suddenly felt an eerie shiver run up her spine, and she knew immediately what it was. She hadn't felt an overpowering feeling of impending doom this strong since the War of Starlight. She didn't have to investigate to know exactly what this meant, and despite the flames licking at her skin, she felt as cold as ice. </p><p>Sacred Heart was the place of shadows and flames, and they were under attack from Igni's army. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Oh boy it's battle time again</p><p>-Digital</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. XXI: In Midnight Hours</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Sacred Heart is invaded by Shadows.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Nebula and Anneliese stood on a balcony on the top floor of Sacred Heart, both looking out over the horizon. There were countless Shadows marching towards the school, each of the beasts lumbering closer with an eerie slowness. Anneliese shot Nebula a nervous glance, but Nebula didn't notice it, too focused on the fight that was to come. </p><p>Minerva burst onto the courtyard down below with fire in her eyes. The edges of her hair were starting to grow particularly red, an indication that they would burst into flames if time stretched on for too long. She glanced around before locking her gaze upon the Shadows ahead and letting out a small huff of frustration. Minerva created a circle in the air before launching energy forth through it, creating a large column of crackling flames that slammed into the Shadows at the front of the enemy faction. Immediately, the monsters disappeared into nothingness. </p><p>Minerva's action was enough to spur the rest of the school's occupants into fighting. Blasts of magic swirled in the air, sent out towards the Shadows with hopes of wiping them out. Nebula and Anneliese began a distant assault from their place up on the balcony. Regularly, they would have gotten closer, but there was something holding them back. </p><p>They wanted to be able to see when the other girls were arriving. After sending the message to the girls at Alitia, they decided to get as high up as they could to see when the group was coming from Alitia. Anneliese wanted nothing more than to rush into the fight, but she restrained herself and stayed by Nebula's side. </p><p>It was clear already that this invasion of Shadows was going to be difficult to overcome. The enemy didn't seem to want to go down easily, and the idea of the oncoming struggle was frightening, but the occupants of Sacred Heart fought on in spite of this. After all, nothing would be gained of giving up so soon. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>"Hurry, hurry!" </p><p>S.M.'s voice was intense as she urged the rest of the girls in the dorm room to their feet. After Sophia received the call from Sacred Heart, she and Tanith had taken to waking up the rest of the girls in the apartment. If Anneliese and Nebula needed reinforcements, the group would have to save them. </p><p>Once the girls were all grouped together in the main area, light bathed their bodies. All eight of them shifted into Isolis in the blink of an eye. Exhaustion was clear on all of their faces, but the adrenaline rushing through them was proving to be stronger in that moment. </p><p>Tanith immediately took off flying from the door, off to undoubtedly find Zylphia. The rest of the group, on the other hand, made for the main courtyard of Alitia. As soon as Tanith was done talking to Zylphia, they would have to set off if they wanted to make it to Sacred Heart in time. There wasn't a moment to lose. </p><p>"What are you girls doing up?"</p><p>Luce turned upon recognizing the voice from behind her. She turned to see Cessair standing in the hallway, a small frown on her face. It wasn't too surprising that Cessair was awake this late given how curious she had been in learning more about Eros' axe, but it was still unexpected to come across her so suddenly. </p><p>"Cessair!" Helena exclaimed, a gasp leaving her lips. "We're going to Sacred Heart. We received a call from Anneliese and Nebula. The school is under attack, and we're going to do something about it."</p><p>"Then let me come with you!" Cessair exclaimed. Before anyone had a chance to object, she set the book in her hands off to the side, propping it against the wall, and transforming into her Isolis form. </p><p>"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Sophia asked carefully. "We don't want you to get hurt or anything..."</p><p>"You're going off into danger, but you're getting upset when I say that I want to do the same?" Cessair questioned, raising an eyebrow with a sarcastic sigh. "I'm not going to let you leave me behind. I want to help you, so that's what I'm going to do."</p><p>Luce looked to Cessair and then to the rest of the group. It was clear that Cessair had no intentions of backing down, and if the group really wanted to get a move on, they didn't have time to argue with her. "Alright, alright. We should just go on and head to the school," she said after a lengthy pause. "Come on. We have to take care of business."</p><p>The group took off flying through the hallways of Alitia once again, Cessair a short distance behind them this time. When they arrived out in the courtyard, Tanith wasn't far behind them. Once all nine of them were together, Tanith spoke up once again. "Alright. Zylphia is going to get in contact with the rest of the head teachers for the other schools, and after that, she's going to come to Sacred Heart to help with fending off the invasion force."</p><p>"Alright. It seems like our work here has been finished then," Carys declared. She kicked off the ground and took to flying once again. The rest of the group trailed after her without a second thought, ready to face whatever was waiting for them at Sacred Heart. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Minerva slashed her right arm around herself in a grand arc, slashing a few Shadows in half with a single motion. A few other beasts tried to gang up on her, but she refused to allow such to come to pass. She raised her right foot and lashed it out, slamming it into the nearby Shadows. The closest monster fell backwards, taking a few other copies with it. A quick punch from Minerva had the entire pile degenerating into nothing more than dust. </p><p>Nebula looked down at the battlefield from her place on the battlefield and snapped her fingers, creating a sphere of dark energy in her hand. She fired it down on a Shadow down below and let it slam into the ground. The Shadow was gone when the dust cleared, and a smile spread on Nebula's face. </p><p>Anneliese smirked to herself when a small cluster of Shadows managed to break through the initial defensive line, and she drew a small circle in the air. A large circle opened on the ground down below, spreading wide and swallowing the Shadows within its diameter. The portal took the Shadows away from the battlefield before making them disappear completely. </p><p>Anneliese watched as a matching portal appeared above her and Nebula, and she created a pair of swords, one for each hand. When the portal opened, she slashed her swords wildly, and all of the Shadows that fell from the rift disappeared before even getting the chance to clobber the pair of girls. Nebula watched on in surprise and awe, and Anneliese shot her a playful grin and a wink after the attack was completed. </p><p>However, the girls didn't have time to dwell on their victory. They turned their gazes out to the area around the school and saw that Shadows were still coming in large clusters. Anneliese frowned to herself, and Nebula gripped tightly at the railing of the balcony. </p><p>"We're going to have to take out the source," Anneliese concluded. "That's what Iris told me about fighting Shadows. They'll all disappear if the person who summoned them is knocked unconscious. We simply have to figure out who that is..."</p><p>"That's where we run into a problem though," Nebula said with a frown. "It's too dark for us to see anything. Headmistress Satim's fire magic is illuminating the immediate area, but it's not enough for us to see far enough away from the battlefield to pick up on who's responsible. They're getting lost in the trees."</p><p>"You wouldn't be able to create an illusion of light, would you?" Anneliese questioned, looking to Nebula nervously. She already knew the answer, but she still held tight to the faith that perhaps something could be done. </p><p>Nebula shook her head. "No... That would involve creating something new, and I can't exactly do something like that," she told Anneliese sadly. </p><p>Before Anneliese had a chance to respond, the girls saw something on the horizon. It was hard to tell exactly what it was at first, but they both knew for sure that it was <em>huge</em>.</p><p>And then it started to breathe fire. </p><p>Shadows were destroyed by the dozen under the intense flames of the creature, and the shine was enough to illuminate it fully. Anneliese's eyes went wide as she realized just what the new arrival was. </p><p>"A dragon?!" Anneliese cried out, her hands clamping down over her mouth. </p><p>Nebula stared at the dragon in wide-eyed shock, but something else caught her attention. She kicked off the balcony and started flying towards it, and Anneliese followed after her by a few feet, trying not to lose her companion in the hectic hell that the fight had quickly become. </p><p>"Fromir!" Nebula shouted once the girls were flying next to the dragon. Even in the darkness, the outlines of Fromir and Aurore could be seen riding atop the dragon. </p><p>Fromir turned upon hearing his name, somehow managing to pick up on it despite the raging of the wind in every direction. "Nebula?!" he exclaimed. He was distracted before he could ask further questions, and he looked down at the Shadows below. He clenched a single hand into a fist, and a large, gaping mouth appeared from the ground. The mouth was made out of darkness, and it quickly swallowed all the Shadows in the area without a second of hesitation. </p><p>"How did you know we were under attack?!" Nebula questioned, flying closer to Fromir. She managed to levitate just beside the dragon's body, lowering her voice once yelling was no longer necessary to communicate. </p><p>"Tanith told Zylphia, and Zylphia told me," Fromir replied. "Leviathan figured that we would get here faster if we climbed upon him while he was a dragon, so here we are."</p><p>Nebula looked down to the dragon and watched as the creature breathed yet another large puff of fire, illuminating the battlefield down below for a split second. She looked to Fromir with relief in her eyes. "I'm glad you're here," she admitted. </p><p>"Nebula!"</p><p>Nebula gasped at the familiar voice, and she flew over to its origin, finding her father levitating nearby. Anneliese once again trailed after her. </p><p>"You're alright," Karver whispered in relief. "I was so worried about you. I'm glad you're safe."</p><p>Nebula opened her mouth to offer a proper response, but she was cut off as a large orb of light appeared in the sky. It seemed to act as a secondary sun, illuminating the battlefield in the blink of an eye. Light crawled along the courtyard of Sacred Heart, dragging every Shadow into plain view. </p><p>"Look!" Anneliese exclaimed, pointing off to yet another figure on the horizon. Thanks to the added light, Nebula was able to see clearly who the new arrivals were this time around. </p><p>"The girls are here!" Nebula gasped as Luce led the group of mages over to where Karver, Nebula, and Anneliese were. She vaguely heard another roar from Leviathan as he exhaled yet another blast of fire. </p><p>"I'm glad to see that you guys are okay," Luce remarked as she looked to Nebula and Anneliese. Her exhaustion was clear, and the same applied to the rest of the group, but their panic and worry appeared to have won out. </p><p>"Thanks for coming so soon," Anneliese told Luce, glancing out over the rest of the group. "We don't have a moment to lose. The Shadows came out of nowhere, and we don't know who could have summoned them."</p><p>"I'm going to try and figure out who was responsible for this," Karver said, an odd tension seeping into his voice. He didn't wait for a response, instead simply choosing to dart away from the area before the girls could say a word. </p><p>Still, Nebula didn't dwell on such for long. She turned her attention to the ground below and created a sphere of black energy before hurling it down at a clump of Shadows in the grass. Helena followed suit with a fireball. </p><p>Carys dared to swoop down over the heads of the Shadows, both of her hands outstretched. Ice extended from her palms, spreading across the Shadows quickly. The ice spell only grew larger as the seconds ticked by, and after enough of them had been brought under the spell, Carys smirked to herself. </p><p>That was when S.M. entered the picture. She jumped onto the center of the icy platform and slammed her hand down, creating a large shockwave that spread rapidly. The Shadows were knocked off their feet if they even survived the blow, and countless figures collapsed into nothingness. </p><p>"We should try and find out who did this," Tanith suggested. She glanced around furiously before seeing Minerva down on the ground below. Tanith flew over to where the headmistress of Sacred Heart was fighting before landing. </p><p>Minerva saw Tanith land out of the corner of her eye, and a frown appeared on her face. "What are you doing here?" Minerva questioned. She kicked quickly at a nearby Shadow, destroying it without remorse. </p><p>"Nebula and Anneliese told us there was an attack, and we came as soon as we could. Zylphia is on her way with the rest of the Starlight Camaraderie," Tanith replied. She unleashed a blast of air magic to destroy a Shadow creeping up behind Minerva. Her eyes flashed violet for a moment as she did so before returning to their regular gentle cerulean. "Do you know who could be behind this?"</p><p>Minerva huffed and shook her head. "No. River got a Moonlight Blessing sometime a few hours ago, but they didn't summon the Shadows. Leviathan said that the rest of the Alight Five have Blessings now though, so all we really need to do is figure out which one of them Surion sent to wipe us out tonight," she answered. "But I haven't seen anyone like that around here."</p><p>Tanith nodded her thanks to Minerva. She ducked beneath a slash from a Shadow before her eyes went purple once more. A small twister was formed in the blink of an eye, and it swept up every Shadow in her immediate area before tossing them skywards. </p><p>Up in the air above Tanith, Luce, Iris, and Anneliese saw the oncoming Shadows. All three of them had blades summoned courtesy of Anneliese since Luce and Iris had been in two much of a hurry to grab their regular weapons before leaving Alitia. Such a fact mattered little as they darted forwards, slicing the Shadows from Tanith's attack below to ribbons in a few seconds. The creatures were left as little more than the regular sludge of Shadows, and they shared a victorious glance with one another before parting ways, off to give aid wherever else it was needed most. </p><p>Aurore flew away from Leviathan and started blasting any Shadows that came too close. There was a smile on her face as she did so, and one never would have guessed that it was late at night during the battle. She held up one hand before throwing down a blast of white energy at a cluster of Shadows on the ground below. When the attack made contact with the grass, a large explosion formed immediately, sending sludge from the Shadows in every direction. Aurore beamed to herself at the victory and was inwardly thankful that she wasn't down on the ground in the blast radius of the attack. </p><p>Helena sent out a stream of fire towards a group of Shadows, obliterating them on impact. From a few feet away, Sophia took in a deep breath and held out her hand. Plants started to grow rapidly from the ground below, winding around the Shadows and taking tight hold of them. When Sophia clenched her fingers into a fist, the plants slammed the Shadows into the ground repeatedly, beating them to a pulp of black liquid in a few seconds. When the plants finally released the Shadows, there was nothing left of them. Helena stared at Sophia in shocked awe, and Sophia looked away with a light blush in her cheeks at the sudden attention from her companion. The two girls zipped off in opposite directions to keep fighting not long afterwards. </p><p>Sylvia unleashed an attack of white lightning on a cluster of Shadows on the grass below, and the Shadows splashed around once they were reduced to goo. Cessair created a tidal wave to wipe the remains away, taking a few extra Shadows down along the way. Just like she had during the Thanatos War, she was playing cleanup, and while it might not have been valuable during all fights, it was more than welcome when Shadows made up the enemy faction. </p><p>S.M. dropped down to the ground and summoned the earth to surround her. Once she had a sizable chunk of rocks floating nearby, she burst back into the sky and began shooting the stones down at the Shadows. The rocks immediately crushed whoever was underneath them, and it was almost like S.M. was whacking countless tiny spiders with a giant hammer. She was careful to steer clear of areas where people were fighting on the ground, and her methods proved themselves to be rather effective. </p><p>Luce let out a sigh after blasting another small group of Shadows with an attack of Starlight. She glanced around, a heavy frown on her face. There were still no signs of the leader of this force. How were they supposed to end this battle if there wasn't anyone around for them to try and stop? She wanted to figure it out, but how was she supposed to find the time with all that was happening? If only someone else would be able to take care of it in her stead...</p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Luckily for Luce, there was someone to help. </p><p>Altina, Caius, Zylphia, and Jin were moving quickly through the trees near Sacred Heart, weaving in between the large trunks that stuck up from the grassy ground. Zylphia held a small sphere of crackling teal energy to illuminate the area since they were too far away for Luce's Starlight spell to have much of an impact. </p><p>Altina suddenly came to a halt, blades still in her hands, and she frowned deeply. Jin looked to her in curiosity before realizing what it was that had made her stop. There was a small group of people standing nearby, and even in the darkness, it was clear who they were and what they were doing. None of them seemed distressed by the presence of the Shadows, so the only logical conclusion was that they were behind the attack. </p><p>Zylphia looked closer at the figures, remaining cautious of how loud she was to ensure they didn't catch any unwanted attention. If they could get the jump on the group, then that would certainly make taking them out much easier. </p><p>Altina looked closer at the people in question, and her eyes narrowed. She made out the figures of Cerise, Arisu, Eros, and Faerner, but there was one person in particular who caught her attention. Indescribable shock crossed her face, but none of the other three were able to figure out why this was. </p><p>December turned around to see Altina standing nearby, and her eyes went wide. She had been standing at the back of the group, making her the closest out of the fighters from Igni. None of her comrades had noticed her sudden shift in stance, all of them too focused on the fight raging on ahead. </p><p>Altina and December met eyes for a moment, both too surprised to say much of anything. Identical features stared back at both of the women. They were identical in height, hair color, eye color, and facial structure. Even their figures, honed by years of fighting and training, were too similar for a resemblance to be ignored. Aside from their clothes, the only difference between them was their hair length. Altina's flowed in the eerie nighttime wind while December's remained close to her face. </p><p>Caius, Jin, and Zylphia stared in surprise, none quite sure of what they were meant to do next. Jin's eyes were wide as saucers, but Caius and Zylphia did a much better job of hiding their shock. The three of them were still as could be, waiting for one of the two identical figures to make a move. </p><p>"December..." Altina whispered, remaining quiet enough to keep from catching the attention of the rest of the Alight Five or Faerner. </p><p>A sad gleam leaked into December's eyes as she spoke softly in the dim midnight. She didn't even seem to fully believe the words coming out of her mouth. "It's been far too long... Sister."</p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Another explosion tore free from Leviathan's lips overhead, sending countless Shadows into an early grave. It seemed as if he alone should have been able to take care of a strong majority of the enemy forces while in his large draconic form, and yet, the Shadows didn't seem to stop. </p><p>"We need to find a way to get through to the person who's responsible for all of this," Minerva murmured under her breath. She was one of the only fighters who remained on the ground since most of the melee fighters had retired to the sky, either flying or levitating from place to place. Minerva refused to move, remaining stubbornly in place regardless of how good an idea that was in the long run. </p><p>Tanith swept down low over Minerva once again. While she had been hoping to try and figure out who was responsible for summoning the Shadows, Tanith hadn't made it very far in her search. There were too many Shadows for her to fly off and look around, and she couldn't bring herself to leave the battlefield behind for long enough to find who was casting the spell that brought on the endless terrors. </p><p>"How can we do that?" Tanith asked as she landed near Minerva. With another blast of wind, she destroyed a cluster of Shadows. The sludge on the ground began to reconstruct itself, forging even more creatures that continued to batter endlessly against the group defending Sacred Heart. An angry huff left her lips, and she struggled to keep herself fighting as her energy was steadily drained. </p><p>"We'll figure something out," Minerva grumbled before dealing yet another fiery punch to a nearby group of Shadows. Anger crossed her eyes for a brief moment, and she tilted her head back to the sky above where Leviathan was beating his wings against the cool air. </p><p>Leviathan dove down, seeming to notice that Minerva was paying attention to him. He went close enough to the ground that Minerva was able to kick off the ground to reach him. She managed to land on Leviathan's back, easily finding a place in the spot where Fromir had been earlier in the night. He had flown off at some point, but Minerva wasn't entirely sure when. </p><p>Once Minerva was up in the sky, Tanith took off for herself, seeing no reason to linger for any longer on the grass. She released a blow of powerful wind magic to cover for her escape before disappearing upwards once again. Even if she was curious about what Minerva and Leviathan were going to do next, she didn't stick around long enough to find out. </p><p>"Can you see who's up to all of this?" Minerva questioned of Leviathan. She clicked her fingers before summoning a giant blast of magic that looked like a meteor. The attack rained down on the enemies below mercilessly, and she didn't bother to give the blast radius a second glance. </p><p>Leviathan shook his head. "I'm afraid not," he replied. "I feel like they have to be somewhere out in the trees since that's where these enemies are coming from. The spawn point has to be somewhere between here and Millennium City, but I don't know exactly where."</p><p>Minerva sighed. "I just hope that somebody around here will be able to figure it out even if we can't go and find them," she murmured. She unleashed yet another meteor attack as Leviathan breathed a wild flare of magic. Neither of them was sure how this fight was going to end, but they weren't going to give up no matter what came their way. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>The silence that fell upon Altina and December both was beyond simply ominous. Jin felt as if he couldn't breathe the longer he glanced back and forth between the two sisters. The resemblance between them was perfectly obvious now that he was able to see them beside each other. Everything about them was the same aside from their clothes and hair. Jin couldn't believe he hadn't noticed sooner. If he had looked further into the Alight Five, maybe he would have figured it out. </p><p>December took a careful step towards the quartet of head teachers. "I didn't summon them," she told them softly. She turned to look at the other people who had come with her, and a peculiar darkness appeared on her face. December gripped her sword tighter as she glanced to them. </p><p>Zylphia was clearly tempted to unleash an attack at December and the Alight Five members to go on and end the chaos, but she chose to hold back when she saw the expression on Altina's face. They were simply going to have to trust in December's judgement for the time being. Until she gave the group a reason to not trust her, it was their best option. </p><p>December's next motion was quick as could be. She raised her sword over the head of Faerner, hilt aimed towards the back of his skull. With a swift, harsh slide downwards, December hit him the head, and his body crumpled into the grass in a matter of seconds. </p><p>The effects of such an action were felt immediately. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Luce readied her sword to slash through another Shadow, but her blade only found empty air as the Shadows all disappeared into nothingness. She gasped, her eyes going wide. That could only mean one thing. </p><p>"Their leader was defeated!" Sylvia cried out from somewhere above Luce. A jubilant laugh broke free from her lips as she landed on the ground, throwing her arms around Luce excitedly. S.M., Helena, and Iris, all of whom were nearby, joined the two soon afterwards. After a few seconds, Carys, Anneliese, and Nebula joined them with Cessair and Tanith appearing a few seconds later. </p><p>Luce smiled to Sylvia, overjoyed that the fight had finally drawn to a conclusion. Adrenaline was still high, and none of the girls shifted back to their regular clothing immediately. Instead, they allowed their wings to remain on their backs as they silently celebrated their newfound victory. </p><p>Nearby, Luce heard large wings flap in preparation for landing, and she noticed Leviathan was landing with Minerva still on his back. Fromir and Aurore both approached the pair a few seconds later. Karver watched all four of them from afar, a small smile on his face as he realized the battle was won. </p><p>Despite her relief, Luce had a bad feeling about whatever had just happened. Who had defeated the leader? As far as she was aware, all of the major fighters on the battlefield were still in the space near Sacred Heart, so who could have gotten far enough away to find and eliminate the leader behind the invasion? </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>When Faerner crumbled, Zylphia threw up an invisibility shield at the last second. When Arisu, Cerise, and Eros turned after hearing the thumping noise of Faerner hitting the ground, December glanced around with a frown. </p><p>"What happened?" Eros questioned, looking at Faerner's fallen form in disgust. </p><p>"I don't know," December lied, holding her sword in a defensive manner to keep up the ruse. She didn't want to keep the truth from them, but in that moment, it was easier than wording the truth behind her betrayal. </p><p>"We have to get out of here," Arisu told the group firmly. They turned to face Cerise, who responded with a nod. Cerise raised one arm and created a portal from thin air before stepping inside. Arisu followed after they hurled Faerner up into their arms. Eros went in after Arisu was on the other side, leaving only December with the four head teachers of the Millennium Six. </p><p>Zylphia dropped the shield when she was sure it was safe and looked at December in confusion, trying to read the numb expression on the Alight Five leader's face. After a few seconds of failure, Zylphia frowned heavily, her gaze expectantly waiting for an explanation. </p><p>December looked to Zylphia, Jin, and Caius before her gaze settled on Altina. "I'll be back soon," she whispered. The words she left unspoken were 'on your side of the battlefield'. December turned on her heel and disappeared as the portal closed behind her. </p><p>Altina looked at the ground where December had been a few seconds beforehand with shock in her features. It all made sense. The first time the Alight Five attacked, they had retreated after she called out into the woods. December had heard her and decided it was best to retreat. When she finally had to face her sister in battle, she couldn't do it, and she betrayed her duties as a general of Igni. </p><p>Altina gripped both of her swords tighter, and her eyes narrowed. She didn't know what the hell she was meant to do next, but she prayed that December figured something out sooner rather than later. For the time being, all the group could do was try to put the pieces together in the aftermath of the invasion. </p><p>But as soon as the chance came, Altina was going to properly reunite with her sister. That much was a promise. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I missed writing big fight scenes like this wow</p><p>Also wooooooooah plot twist</p><p>-Digital</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0022"><h2>22. XXII: Sisters of the Sword</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Altina explains her connection with December to Luce, Carys, Sylvia, and Nebula.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The rest of the night was, to put it simply, restless. After the Shadows fell, most students were too hyped up on adrenaline to attempt returning to sleep. Luce's group retreated to Alitia to try and get some shuteye, but it didn't go as planned in the slightest. The most they got was three hours, and even so, it consisted of much more tossing and turning than they would have liked. </p><p>Classes were canceled for the following week, and all students involved were to be heading over to Sacred Heart to help try and figure out what was going on. Those who weren't at the fight that night were going to have to help Sacred Heart with the effort to restore what segments of the building had been damaged during the fight. </p><p>The next morning, Luce found herself slowly pushing herself out of bed. Her limbs felt like they were made of lead, and all she could do was shuffle around in her exhaustion. Her hair stuck out in a few directions, showing her eye behind the blue curtain that regularly obscured half of her face so seamlessly. </p><p>It wasn't until Sylvia approached her and combed her fingers through Luce's hair that the mercenary noticed how ridiculous she looked. "Thanks," Luce murmured with a yawn. </p><p>"I guess we should head over to Sacred Heart now," Helena pointed out with a frown. She crossed her arms over her chest as she tapped her foot, unable to sit still. Ever since they arrived back from the battle, Helena had been particularly antsy, always moving until she finally settled into a restless slumber. </p><p>"I was thinking of something else, actually," Carys piped in. "I don't know if you guys noticed it, but there was certainly something going on last night with Headmistress Latheia. There was something strange about her when she met up with the rest of the group alongside the other head teachers. I don't know what it was about, but I feel like she knows something."</p><p>"I don't know if simply charging into Acadia demanding answers is going to do us any favors," Sophia frowned. "I mean, if she's got a secret, then we shouldn't force her to talk about it. I'm sure there's a reason that she didn't want to discuss it."</p><p>"We're the ones who are clearly being targeted by all of this stuff though," Luce pointed out. "If anyone has a right to hear the truth, it's us."</p><p>"Maybe some of us could head over there to see if we can learn anything while the rest head over to Sacred Heart for cleanup," Tanith suggested. "Luce and Carys seem pretty intrigued to learn more about all of this, so they could go."</p><p>A phone beeped sharply, prompting Iris to shove her hand into her pocket to fish it out. She tapped at the screen a few times before looking up. "Nebula is going to do the same thing. She noticed that Headmistress Latheia was acting oddly too, so she's heading over to Acadia now alongside Headmistress Claudere."</p><p>"Seriously?" Sylvia asked with wide eyes. "I mean, I understand being curious, but... Wow. I didn't think that Headmistress Claudere would want to hold everything back on the reconstruction effort to head over to Acadia and check things out."</p><p>"I suppose it does make sense," S.M. said with a shrug. She pulled on her favorite Alitia hoodie over her head. "I mean, the two of them have been together for a long time, and if anyone is going to get information out of Headmistress Latheia, it would be her."</p><p>"So... Anyone else up with going with us to Acadia?" Luce questioned. "If Headmistress Claudere is going, then that means we have a larger chance of actually hearing what we need to know."</p><p>"I'll come with you," Sylvia piped in. "You all can head over to Sacred Heart without us, and we'll do what we can to catch up as soon as possible. How does that sound?"</p><p>"Okay," Helena nodded with a nervous gulp. "I don't know if you're going to hear everything you're hoping, but... Alright. If you're so optimistic about it, then I'll trust your judgement. Be sure to pass on anything else that you might learn to the rest of us."</p><p>"I'm going to head on out," S.M. declared, starting for the door as she shoved her phone into her pocket once she had picked it up from the nearby table. </p><p>"Where are you going?" Iris questioned, tilting her head to the side. "Don't you want to come with us as we head over there?"</p><p>S.M. shook her head. "I got a text from Mina, and she's going to introduce me to her girlfriend. She's been trying to introduce me for ages now, but something always gets in the way. Mina knows how to be stubborn when there's something she wants, and she was really eager to get the two of us to meet. I know better than to fight against her when she gets like this, so I'm going to just go along with it and pray that nothing bad happens," she explained. "I would love to come with you, but I have other things to do. Sorry, everyone."</p><p>Sophia smiled gently to S.M., comforting the other girl with her gaze. "Don't worry about it in the slightest. We know that you would come with us if you could. Just be sure to have fun, okay?" she questioned. </p><p>S.M. nodded to Sophia. "Thanks. I'll see you guys later," she declared, waving as she walked out of the room. </p><p>The door tapped shut, and the remaining seven girls looked to each other. "I guess now's as good a time as any for us to head out," Luce declared. "Carys, Syl, you're with me. I'll see the rest of you whenever we happen to arrive."</p><p>"May you have luck in gathering information," Tanith smiled. She opened the door and gestured for everyone to walk through it. Once the dorm was empty, she flicked her hand at the light switch, swapping the room into darkness, before trailing after them. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>"I'm here, Mina."</p><p>S.M. walked into the room that Mina had instructed her to come to, shoving her phone roughly into her pocket once she was sure that she was at the right place. The door was wide open, and Mina was standing inside with another girl that S.M. didn't recognize. </p><p>The first thing S.M. noticed was the girl's warm smile. Her eyes were a deep brown color, seeming to glitter in the overhead lighting of the dorm. She had darker skin with brown hair so dark that it almost seemed black. A simple pink and white flower sat at the back of her hair, which was tied halfway up. The girl was wearing a blue cropped shirt that fit tightly to her body. Her skirt was white and faded out to green at the edges, flowing loosely around her. On her feet were gold and white sandals. A shell bracelet was wrapped around her left wrist. </p><p>However, there was one other feature that truly caught S.M.'s attention. Much like Cessair, the girl had a few segments of her body that were covered with scales and fins. It was proof rather clearly that she was partially a fish, a trait that was rather common on Cessair's home planet of Rivergold. S.M. assumed immediately that was where this girl came from as well. </p><p>"S.M.! I'm glad that you were able to make it here," Mina grinned, walking towards her sister before pulling her into a tight hug. "I would like you to meet a very lovely girl." </p><p>The girl nearby waved gently before moving her hand to rest over her chest. She bowed her head as she spoke. "My name is Kanoa Ililau, but... You can just call me Kanoa," she explained. Kanoa continued to smile with a grin that seemed like it would be able to illuminate even the darkest of spaces. </p><p>"Kanoa's the girl you've been waiting for so long to meet," Mina explained. "I wish we could have met on better circumstances and not, you know, the day after a fight, but... I guess that's how this semester is going so far."</p><p>"At least we were finally able to meet each other," Kanoa grinned. "It's nice to meet you, S.M. We've been trying to plan a meeting for ages now, so I'm glad that it finally went through after so long."</p><p>"What sort of magic do you have, Kanoa?" Mina questioned, nudging at her girlfriend with her shoulder. </p><p>Kanoa flushed at the sudden attention. "Ah... My power is based around nature. I can make plants grow. To be more specific, I can use plants related to underwater life rather well. I can heal pretty decently as well," Kanoa answered. </p><p>"Isn't that neat?" Mina asked of her sister, pride swelling on her face. "Most dark-type mages struggle to heal until they become particularly powerful, but Kanoa's a natural."</p><p>"You can color me impressed," S.M. said with a smile of her own. "You seem rather nice, Kanoa."</p><p>"She is," Mina confirmed, jumping in before Kanoa could offer her own reply. "I feel like you two will get along rather well. I've met her parents too, and they're great people. When I told them about you, they said that they would love to meet you one of these days."</p><p>"Yeah. Mina has mentioned you a time or two, but meeting up wasn't exactly possible... Before this school year, there was the issue of your parents, and Mina feared that you would be cut off prematurely if she asked you to come here and meet me. After you got here... Well, I feel like we all know what happened then," Kanoa told her with a laugh. "Things haven't been easy in the past few months."</p><p>"You're telling me," S.M. snorted with a grin. "It's nice to be able to meet you at long last though. I know that Mina has been looking forward to this for quite some time."</p><p>"I wasn't going to let the fight get in the way of us meeting up, so last night, I came over here as soon as Kanoa sent me a message to say that something had happened," Mina told S.M. casually. </p><p>"You were here last night?" S.M. questioned, turning to face her sister with wide eyes. "I was too. I guess we didn't run into each other since it was so dark. The rest of my friends came along with me."</p><p>"One of your friends is a light mage, yeah?" Mina questioned, to which S.M. nodded. "Yeah, that makes sense... That must be where the light came from."</p><p>"It's a shame that we didn't get to see each other for the first time until after a huge fight like this, but... Still, it's nice to finally get to know the little sister that Mina has told me so much about over the years," Kanoa told S.M. kindly. </p><p>"Likewise," S.M. replied. "Should we go out and try to fix the school now? I know that there's a lot for us to do at the moment, and it might be best if we just go on and get it over with."</p><p>Mina let out a playful sigh with a roll of her eyes. "As much as I hate to admit it, you have a point there," she admitted, walking towards the door. "Let's go on and see how bad the damages are."</p><p>"I'm pretty sure that they're minimal, but it's still probably a good idea to look around and see if there's anything we can do to help out," Kanoa said. "I'm looking forward to getting to know you better in the future, S.M."</p><p>S.M. couldn't help but return the smile that Kanoa sent her way. "Same to you." Even if the fight the night before had been far from ideal, at least it was leading up to something that was far more pleasant. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Luce, Sylvia, and Carys touched down on the grass in front of Acadia before transforming back to normal from their Isolis forms. In order to catch up with Nebula and Minerva, they had decided flying would be the best course of action, and such had most certainly been a good call. Nearby, Nebula and Minerva were approaching Acadia. </p><p>Nebula was looking down at the ground until she noticed the girls out of her peripheral vision, prompting her to gesture for them to come over. Luce, Sylvia, and Carys casually slipped into step with Nebula and Minerva, but none of them said anything. Minerva's blank yet troubled expression combined with the heavy silence that hung over the group was enough to discourage even Carys from attempting to start up a conversation. </p><p>The navigation through Acadia's halls was quiet as well, and it wasn't until the group of five had arrived at Altina's door that anything was said. Minerva raised her hand and knocked rather softly against the wood. "Altina?" she questioned. </p><p>There was a distant call from inside the office allowing them entry, and Luce opened the door, allowing everyone to walk inside before she took her place at the back of the group. She shut the door carefully behind herself, turning to look at Altina once she had done so. </p><p>Altina was standing at the window at the opposite side of the office, looking out over the courtyard with an unreadable expression. There wasn't much to see there given that most of the students were already at Sacred Heart to help with the cleaning process, but that didn't matter much to Altina, who continued to look at the grass below blankly. </p><p>"You ran off so quickly after the fight last night," Minerva remarked, crossing her arms. "Is it true that December was in the forest last night?"</p><p>Altina turned slowly, nodding solemnly. "Yes... It is. I wish that this wasn't the case, but there's no way for me to deny it now. December was among the enemy's forces," she replied. </p><p>"You must mean December of the Alight Five, right?" Carys questioned, looking back and forth between Minerva and Altina. "Is there something about her that we don't know?"</p><p>Altina regarded the four teens next to Minerva with hesitation, unsure as to if she should tell them the full story. She let out a sigh before nodding. "Yes, there is... If you're really the targets of the Alight Five, then you deserve to hear what you are not aware of regarding her," she explained. </p><p>Minerva looked to a set of chairs propped up against the wall. She didn't move to grab one, but the message was clear to the rest of the group. Luce, Sylvia, Carys, and Nebula each picked one up before placing it on the floor in front of Altina's desk. Altina herself declined to sit in her regular seat, instead choosing to pace the area. Minerva didn't sit either, likely because she was just as fired up on curious energy as Altina was on constant anxiety. The room fell silent until Altina spoke at long last. </p><p>"December is my sister," Altina began. "She and I were two of three children born to a noble family on my home planet of Ranalite many years ago. It fell into civil war, and we were separated by a rogue set of portals conjured by an enemy of ours. She wound up on Igni, and I found myself here on Millennia."</p><p>"Sister?" Luce echoed, eyes wide. She hadn't expected to hear something like that, but now that she was hearing it, the truth seemed obvious as could be. December and Altina looked identical when she layered their faces together. Luce had been too busy suffering under defeat from December to connect the dots, but now, it was so damn clear. </p><p>"Yes," Altina nodded. "Ranalite is a planet heavily based in mage superiority. The Latheia line was the only noble family that consisted of leaths, but once the secret got out, we were attacked and divided. I spent years trying to find my siblings while I was a student here at Acadia years ago, but I never got any further than hearing that my parents were dead. Now, December has come back after decades of no new information coming out, and she's with the Alight Five."</p><p>"If you ask me, she's hiding the truth about her heritage as well," Minerva scoffed with a shake of her head. "There's no way that Surion Irikai would let a leath rise so high through the ranks of the army of Igni. She has to be hiding behind her magical weapon to keep her leath heritage a secret."</p><p>Sylvia let out a gasp. "Wait a second... December is a leath?!" she cried out. "We were so sure that she was a mage with ice magic!"</p><p>"No," Altina answered. "She never had any sense of magical ability. She has particular skill with a sword, and she uses a magical weapon to mask the truth from anyone who would get too nosy when trying to find out the truth. She's a leath with a manifestation and no magic."</p><p>"Wow," Carys murmured with a shake of her head. "I suppose it makes sense. I mean, when I froze the palace of Igni, there were apparently many issues with unfreezing the area. She would have been able to free it without any issues if she had actual magic, but since it was all centered around her weapon, she wasn't able to do that."</p><p>"What do you think she's going to next?" Nebula questioned, looking up to Altina with a frown. "And what exactly happened last night? The attack of the Shadows stopped so suddenly. I don't know what could have possibly gone down."</p><p>"December betrayed the Alight Five. They just don't know it yet," Altina replied. "As soon as she realized I was there, she attacked the one who had summoned the Shadows. I believe his name is Faerner. She hit him in the back of the head with the hilt of her swords, and he was rendered unconscious immediately. Ever since then, she's been walking on thin ice. It's surprising that nobody has figured things out yet, but if I had to guess, I would say it's because she told everyone that my group was responsible for attacking Faerner."</p><p>"Is she going to switch sides now?" Luce asked darkly. "Because if she's going to keep fighting with the Alight Five, then we're going to have to get rid of her. I'm not going to let her continue fighting with that monster of a king if his goals are to kill one of my friends."</p><p>"Luce," Nebula said cautiously, looking over to Luce with an anxious frown. "I don't know if it's a good idea to be so blunt about charging into battle like that..."</p><p>"December is a loyal person by nature. If you ask me, she's going to switch over to our side. No matter how strong her bonds are with the other members of the Alight Five, she values me as her sister too much. I doubt that fact has changed over the many years we've been apart," Altina answered. "Besides, she's a leath fighting under a man who actively wants us to die. After seeing how well that worked out last time, she's surely learned not to lie too much about her past."</p><p>"What she's doing now must be out of self-sustainment," Minerva suggested. "Saying that you're a leath at this stage of the game would be too large of a risk, and if she wants to live, she can't go that far."</p><p>"So you think that she's going to come over to our side... That will surely make things a lot easier for us," Carys commented with a frown. "But at the same time, we still have three other people to contend with, four if you want to count Faerner."</p><p>"River's faith in the Alight Five has officially fallen apart," Minerva declared firmly. "I spoke with them before coming here. They had no idea Moonlight Blessings were going to be distributed among the group. That's how the invasion was even led. Each member of the Alight Five was given a Blessing by the Keeper of Moonlight. I don't know how that aggravating Keeper was able to pull it off, but they passed a Blessing off to River despite the distance between them."</p><p>"In that case, it wouldn't surprise me if the rest of the group was starting to grow nervous as well. If you take their leader out of the equation, then what's going to happen next?" Sylvia questioned. "I think that we're going to have a rather interesting course of events playing out before us in the near future."</p><p>"All we can do at this point is wait to see what December does next," Altina sighed. "I don't want to wait on it, but I don't think there's much of a choice in the matter. She'll do whatever she thinks is best whenever she gets the chance to."</p><p>"What about your other sibling?" Carys inquired. "You mentioned that you and December accounted for two of three children of your family, so what happened to the third one?"</p><p>"His name is Salem," Altina replied. "Unlike December and me, his manifestation is of the mind. The kid's a tactical genius, and he can think and talk his way out of just about any situation. Even so, he's a bit naive and gullible. I don't know what happened to him either, but as far as I've heard, no body has been found."</p><p>"Maybe it's possible that we'll be able to find him one day then," Sylvia said with a smile. "I mean, you were able to reunite with December after all these years, so who's to say that you'll wind up seeing him again in the future too?"</p><p>Altina shrugged with a shake of her head. "I don't know, but we don't have time to think about him right now. There are other matters that require our attention, and I don't want to distract myself too much with the past when the present is aggravating enough as it is," she told the group. "I have some thinking to do. Thanks for coming to see me, but I would like some alone time."</p><p>"If you need anything, just say so, Alti," Minerva said with a surprising amount of gentleness. She turned for the door, and the four girls sitting in front of the desk trailed after her. None of them said a word, and they left the room behind in pure silence. </p><p>Once she was alone, Altina let out a heavy sigh and shook her head. She didn't know what the hell she was supposed to make of this mess, but she was going to try and figure it out. December was counting on her to at least try. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>"Hey! Myra! Are you around here?"</p><p>A voice caught the attention of Myra Loveknot on the campus of Sacred Heart. She looked up with a smile, recognizing the person who had spoken those words. Previously, she had been collaborating with Tanith, Helena, and Sophia to clear away some of the sludge left behind by the Shadows after the fight the night before, but hearing that voice was enough to convince her to walk away and investigate properly. </p><p>The girl who had called out had short blonde hair and blue eyes. She wore a white button-up shirt with a green ribbon tied into the collar. She wore a blue skirt with two straps that went up her torso. The skirt and its connecting straps had a few pink and red hearts scattered about here and there. Lastly, she wore tall black socks underneath brown boots. </p><p>"Hey, Violet," Myra grinned, throwing her arms around the new arrival, Violet Sinclair. In the months since the fall of Iago the semester before, Myra and Violet had wound up dating one another. It was far from being a relationship one would have expected for a variety of reasons, yet somehow, they simply made it work. </p><p>Myra had been involved so heavily with the incidents involving Iago, but Violet didn't seem to mind. The latter had a strong sense of justice, but she still didn't struggle with telling apart the two sides of Myra's personality and which one rang true. Violet's infectious nature tended to draw in the attention of all those around her, and Myra was only one of her many admirers, but she was most certainly Violet's favorite of the bunch. </p><p>"You're alright, aren't you?" Violet asked, pulling away from the hug to give Myra a full examination with her eyes. "You weren't hurt in that last fight, were you? I'm sorry I couldn't be here. I didn't realize that anything had happened until I woke up and Headmistress Latheia made an announcement about it."</p><p>Violet was a student at Acadia, a heroine known for her skills with a bow. This was yet another reason that her and Myra's relationship caught many people by surprise. Even though they went to different schools, they were able to form a lasting bond without any issues. It was rather impressive to outside viewers. </p><p>Myra nodded. "Yeah. I'm fine," she insisted with a smile. "I was able to fend off the Shadows without any issues. My sister and her friends showed up for a while too, and while I didn't know they were there, they did a lot to help out."</p><p>Violet let out a gasp and began to glance around the area. "That's great! Is Sylvia here? I've been hoping to meet her at long last. You talk about her all the time," she buzzed. </p><p>Myra shook her head. "I'm afraid not. She's over at Acadia right now, so you probably missed her on your way over," she replied. "It's alright though. I'm sure we'll find the chance to get you two to meet properly in the future."</p><p>Violet let out a dramatic sigh before nodding. "Alright... Is there anything else I can do in the meantime? I want to make sure that this school is all fixed up and everything," she told Myra. </p><p>"There is something you can do, as a matter of fact," Myra answered. She stepped to the side and gestured to Tanith, Helena, and Sophia. Helena noticed that she had an audience, so she looked up and waved before returning to her clearing of the sludge below. "These are a few of my sister's friends. They're helping me to clean everything up, and we could certainly use some extra help."</p><p>"Deal!" Violet exclaimed. "Just tell me where to start, and I'll get right to it!" She looked to Myra with bright eyes that seemed to glitter like the sun itself. </p><p>Myra grinned before nodding. "It's good to see you, Vi."</p><p>Violet leaned forward and pressed a brief kiss to Myra's cheek. "You too, My."</p><p>~~~~~</p><p>December sat on a chair near a window in the Igni palace, looking out at the space down below. Her gaze was fuzzy and unfocused, but she didn't care much. After all, why did it matter what she looked at? Her thoughts mattered far more. </p><p>She had tried to find out more about Altina after suspecting that she heard her sister's voice. That had been back when the first attack on Millennia had just taken place. Despite her attempts to research where Altina could be found, she couldn't find anything conclusive. December was able to assume easily that it was a blockade of information set up by the king. It wasn't too hard to believe that he would keep vital knowledge from getting onto Igni and making the rounds. After all, if he wanted to keep the leaths oppressed, he couldn't have them learning too much about what waited beyond the planet's boundaries. </p><p>The night before had ultimately confirmed her suspicions. After nearly three decades on her own, December had found one of her relatives. She had feared for so long that she would never make contact with her old life, but there Altina was. Her sister's presence was able to convince her to turn on her comrades and attack Faerner without a moment of hesitation. December hadn't wanted to lead an attack that large in the first place, and in the end, she brought it to a halt thanks to those morals. </p><p>If Surion hadn't instructed it, December never would have done any of this. She was only fighting with him since it put a roof over her head. She did what she could in order to help those around her, but she wanted out. The attack the night before couldn't fall under the category of keeping herself safe. She had to leave Igni before things got any worse. </p><p>December rose to her feet and frowned to herself. There was only one option for her at this point, and she wasn't going to run from it any longer than she already had. She had a path to escape Igni all lined up. The only step left for her to take was to follow through and get away from the hellhole that the planet had come to be known as. </p><p>But first, she had to see the rest of the Alight Five. Cerise was her adopted daughter, for crying out loud. December had to tell them all that was happening and why she was leaving. Perhaps they would even follow in her footsteps. There was no way of saying for sure, but she was at least willing to try. </p><p>December took in a breath, surprised at how shaky it was. She looked to the door before nodding to herself. There was no way for her to hold this off. She was going to leave behind Igni and the remaining three members of the Alight Five. She had told River to run, and now, she was going to be following them right into the other side of the fight. December couldn't help but wish that Arisu, Eros, and Cerise would follow her as well, but there was no way of saying for sure if they would. </p><p>In that moment though, all that mattered was getting away from Igni, and she was going to do it.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Updates are cool. We're getting so close to the second half of this book that I can almost taste it. </p><p>-Digital</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0023"><h2>23. XXIII: From Fire to Ice</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>December makes her final decision about where her loyalties lie.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Carys didn't know what she was doing there. </p><p>It was two days after the attack on Sacred Heart, and Carys had been called back to Acadia. She looked down at the simple note in her hand, scrawled in Zylphia's perfect calligraphy and asking her to go and visit with Altina. She didn't know what this was meant to be about, but it wasn't as if she had time to stop and ask questions. If she was really needed at Acadia, then who was she to object? </p><p>Navigating the halls of the building felt oddly foreign to her, completely different from how things had been the day before. She knew the way to Altina's office, but the journey seemed to last for ages. Carys let out a small sigh when she finally arrived at her destination after spending far too long swooping in between the other occupants of Acadia's halls. She looked to the doors solemnly and let out a sigh before raising her free hand to knock. </p><p>Altina was at the door in a matter of seconds, and she looked to Carys with a stern nod. "Come in," she instructed dully. Carys didn't hesitate to follow her directions, shutting the door behind herself as she walked into the office. She hadn't realized how intimidating Altina truly was until she was left alone to look at the headmistress of Acadia. </p><p>"I heard from Zylphia what happened on Igni," Altina told her, sitting down in the chair that waited on the other side of her desk. She settled quickly, resting both of her forearms on the desk before releasing a sigh. "She said that you became one of the Sealed Ones."</p><p>Carys was surprised to hear Altina address such a situation, and she nodded slowly. She longed to say something, but her tongue felt clammy and unfamiliar to her all of a sudden. For a moment, she wished to have her cocky hubris back, if only to make it seem like she wasn't terrified by the stoic woman that she knew as Altina Latheia. </p><p>"Congratulations," Altina went on, seemingly not bothered by Carys' blatant nervous behavior. "It's an honor to be chosen... Gemini." She looked back over her shoulder and frowned at herself. "I'm afraid I am unable to show you, but... You're like me in that regard."</p><p>Carys immediately came to the conclusion that Altina's symbol was somewhere on her lower back. It would certainly explain why showing it wouldn't be easy. In response, Carys nodded. "So I've heard," she murmured, managing to find words after spending too long fumbling clumsily. </p><p>"If you need anything, come to me," Altina said simply. "I know it's a lot to grapple with at first, but... You can handle it. The gods wouldn't have smiled upon you in this way if you weren't ready for the responsibility." Despite this talk of smiling, her expression was just as blank and solemn as ever. </p><p>Carys nodded once again, dumbstruck and at a loss for words once again. Was this all Altina had called her for? </p><p>Altina rose to her feet, prompting Carys to watch her in curiosity. "I get the feeling that something is going to happen soon... Stay on your guard," she muttered. Carys didn't have to ask to know that this had something to do with December and everything that she had learned the day before. </p><p>Altina examined Carys for a moment before walking closer, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. Altina's smile was careful, and she looked to the door. "You may go," she eventually said. </p><p>Carys was happy to leave, but she did manage to give Altina her thanks before departing. Even if the conversation was brief, she still found herself glad that she had come all the way out to Acadia, and she began the trek back to Alitia with Altina's words ringing in her ears. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>December entered the Alight Five's base of operations room for the last time, her expression passive and unreadable. Eros, Arisu, and Cerise were already inside, waiting for her with intent gazes. She had asked them to meet her there, and she was relieved that they had decided to follow her direction. </p><p>"What do you need?" Eros questioned. His leg was bouncing wildly, and it was clear he thirsted for battle. The Shadow invasion of Sacred Heart hadn't given him the chances to show off his skills, and he had only grown more antsy since the fight where Carys was captured. It was impossible for him to take the edge off all of a sudden, and it was clear as day in the quiet of the room. </p><p>"This is my last day here with you," December began. All three of them responded with wide eyes and dropped jaws, wanting to say something but unable to find the words. "Let's just say that certain factors have made my loyalty sway, and... I will be joining the Millennium Six. I have stayed here for far too long already, but now that I have branched away from Igni... I'm afraid I can't come back here."</p><p>"Why are you leaving?" Arisu asked immediately, jumping to their feet quickly. "Was it the fight with the Shadows that made you think this was a good idea?"</p><p>December hesitated before shaking her head. "In truth, I've been meaning to get away for quite some time, but... This was the final straw. I'll be departing shortly, but I believed you all had the right to know that I would no longer be your commander. As for what you wish to do... That is up to you," she went on. </p><p>Eros let out an angry huff. "Great. First, we lost River, and now, you're leaving too? What the hell is up with Igni lately? Is it just not good enough for you?" he inquired, unable to stop talking once he opened his mouth. His questions went unanswered, because the truth was clear as could be. </p><p>"You can't really mean to leave us here... We're already struggling without River, and I don't know if I want to stay here so long as you're gone," Arisu told her. "This is all ridiculous. Why are you even leaving?"</p><p>December paused before sighing. "I'm afraid I'm not like the rest of you... I'm a leath, you see. People like me are not meant to live on Igni, especially not under King Surion. He managed to suck me in with promises of home and health, but... I've found another place that will offer that and more. As such, I will be setting a course for Millennia later today. If you wish to come, I would be happy to welcome you, but should you choose to remain... I won't plead for you to change your loyalties. I understand that I have no place to do such, and I'm not going to say things I have no right to speak of," she declared. </p><p>Eros' shoulders grew tense at the mention of December being a leath. He was unable to look at her with the same gaze as before. Respect rose in his gaze, and the bouncing of his leg drew to a halt. He looked to the sword at her waist, and paleness rose in his face. It looked as if he was going to be sick, but he did his best to bury such an appearance. Even so, the unsteadiness was starting to seep through too fast for him to try and hold it back. </p><p>Cerise remained silent throughout the conversation. The revelation of December being a leath didn't seem to shock her in the slightest, but the idea of her adopted mother setting out from Igni was a different story completely. She had suspected that December wasn't planning on remaining there forever, but everything was happening too suddenly for her to process. </p><p>"You're a what?!" Arisu cried out. They clamped their hands over their mouth upon receiving a deadly glare from Eros, and they looked over to the doors nervously before speaking once more. "You can't be serious... We thought that you were an ice mage all this time!" </p><p>"No. The swords hold all the power. If they were taken away, I would be powerless. Still, that matters little... Leaths have no place on Igni, so I'm going to leave. I've been planning on finding a way out for far too long, and this is simply the best opportunity for me to depart. I'll allow you all to decide on what to do next. Cerise... I believe that you can make a portal for anyone wishing to leave, yes?" December asked, looking to her adopted daughter. </p><p>Cerise hesitated before nodding. "Of course," she said softly, unable to say much else. She couldn't stop thinking about how terribly things could go without December, but she did her best to bury such concerns. The last thing she needed was to show open worry around Eros or Arisu. She didn't want to scare them when everything was heavy enough as it was. </p><p>"With that said... I'm afraid I must be off. I have the materials for a non-magical portal spell prepared in my room, and I'm leaving now. Be safe, alright?" December questioned. She walked towards the door, and with one final glance to the trio of mages, she left, and the Alight Five command room fell deadly silent. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>"Luce! Luce! You will never believe what I just found!"</p><p>Cessair practically tripped over her own feet as she dashed to the door of the apartment Luce shared with the rest of the girls. At the moment, she was the only one inside, all of the others having gone out to do other things. Anneliese and Iris were sparring elsewhere in the school, Carys had traveled to Acadia, S.M. and Sylvia were with their sisters, and the rest of the group had divided to take care of various small tasks around the campus. That left only Luce, stretched out on the couch with her hands tucked up behind her head. </p><p>When she heard Cessair's cries from outside, she got to her feet and moved to the door, pushing it open wide enough for Cessair to stumble inside. The fish girl had her arms wrapped clumsily around Eros' axe, which was in a thin container made of energy to keep it from cutting her. The spell also appeared to be making it lighter, allowing Cessair to carry it easily despite her general lack of physical strength. </p><p>Luce's eyes still went wide at the sight, and she tilted her head to the side, about to ask if Cessair was okay. She was cut off when Cessair moved to the couch, practically buzzing with activity. "You have no idea what I just found out!" Cessair exclaimed. </p><p>"Does it have something to do with the axe?" Luce questioned, raising an eyebrow as she shut the door. Why else would Cessair have brought something so large and clunky to Luce's room? </p><p>Cessair nodded. "Yep! You see, I was studying the axe, and I realized that something weird was going on with it. I realized that everything I was trying to learn about it wasn't adding up, so I started asking questions on what could be skewing the results... That was when I figured it out! This isn't a regular axe in the slightest!" she continued. </p><p>"Of course it isn't a regular axe," Luce replied. "It's a magical axe meant to channel the power of its wielders. That's the impression I got at the very least."</p><p>Cessair shook her head furiously, her short red curls bouncing every which way. "Nope! That's not true either. I thought the same thing at first, but that wouldn't make the pieces line up properly. The only way things would make sense was if the axe wasn't what I thought it was at all. So, I did a little bit of digging, and I realized that it's a completely different type of magical axe," she went on. </p><p>Luce tilted her head to one side, still not catching onto what was causing Cessair's buzzing excitement. She calmly took a seat next to her aunt, waiting for the other girl to explain further. She had a feeling that it was bound to happen. Cessair could hardly hold back when she struck a huge discovery, after all. </p><p>"Rather than acting as a conduit of magic for the person wielding it, this axe generates its own energy. It doesn't channel the power of the one using it. Instead, it has its own inherent magic that can be controlled with the weapon. Swing it for yourself. See what happens. Does light come out, or does fire come out?" Cessair questioned. "If it was a mere conduit, then light magic would spawn, but that's not the case. Since it generates its own fiery magic, we can prove that it's an axe that has its own power rather than acting as an extension of someone else's energy."</p><p>Luce blinked before accepting the axe from Cessair. As soon as the energy was dispelled, she stood and swung it in a grand arc, careful not to hit anything. Sure enough, fire crackled along the blade, and she stared at it with wide eyes. "Huh," was all she could manage to say. Cessair was right, that was for sure. </p><p>"I was really wondering what could make it so weird, but then it all started to make sense. I don't have the power to wield it myself, so I couldn't swing it around and figure out the truth on my own. After a series of tests, I realized what was really going on, and it's all starting to make sense now, huh?" Cessair questioned. </p><p>"What does this mean?" Luce asked, setting the axe on the floor. Cessair coated it in energy from nearby, and Luce stared at the blade from afar. "It belongs to Eros, so this could say..."</p><p>"He has no magical power of his own," Cessair finished. "He's a leath using this axe to pretend that he has magic. On Igni, you can only gain that sort of military position by being a mage, and leaths have to hide the truth about having magic. In fact, you said yesterday that Headmistress Satim told you the very same thing was happening with December. She just wasn't the only one lying to the entire universe."</p><p>Luce let out a sigh and placed her head in one of her hands. "Damn," she murmured. It seemed so obvious now. Eros had been powerless during the fight as soon as the axe was taken away, and this was exactly why. He wasn't able to do anything unless he found another weapon, and it wasn't possible for him to take his own axe back at that moment. </p><p>"We're fighting against three mages and two leaths in the Alight Five," Cessair continued. "This changes everything... Though now, I suppose it's an even split of two and two, huh? Who would have guessed that the Alight Five were hiding this sort of secret from the rest of the universe?"</p><p>"Not me," Luce muttered, shaking her head. "Certainly not me."</p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Cerise had way too much to think about for how early in the day it was. She couldn't seem to sit still, and it was her desire to do something that had her leaving the Alight Five's corner of the castle to wander around aimlessly. Cerise wasn't the type to walk around when she didn't have a destination, but if it gave her something to do so that she could stop thinking about what December had said, she would take the chance without hesitation. </p><p>Realistically, she knew that she had to think about it as soon as possible to come to a conclusion about what she was going to do next. Even so, it was a lot to think about all at once. She wanted to follow December, but at the same time, she knew how militarized Igni was. If she left at the wrong moment, there could be terrible backlash, and she didn't want to put anyone at risk. Plus, it wasn't as if she had ever known a home aside from Igni. </p><p>At the same time, she hadn't known a family aside from December, so she was brought right back to square one no matter how many times she tried to come to a conclusion. </p><p>Cerise found herself looking at both of her palms as she walked through the palace. She created an outline of a moon in one hand before electrifying the other and letting the two orbs of energy overlap. The sight of crackling energy dancing across the surface of the moon outline was enough to draw her attention away from everything that had been happening, and a sigh left her lips. </p><p>"Hold for a moment."</p><p>Cerise didn't recognize the voice that she heard from behind her, but she stopped anyways. Her magic faded away, and she turned to see who it was that had spoken to her. On most other days, she would have already identified the newcomer and determined if they were a threat, but she wasn't feeling the regular power that she had come to know so well. December's departure was already bothering her more than she was caring to admit, it seemed. </p><p>Caius stepped out of the shadows, his arms crossed and a frown on his face. He had made the decision to sneak out to Igni with hopes of learning more about their target there. Leviathan wasn't exactly able to do so since he was distracted with helping Minerva to bring Sacred Heart back to its former glory through a few stability tests. Aurore had decided to aid him as well, but Caius figured that Minerva had more than enough help. He took this as a perfect chance to learn more about what was going on over on Igni, and it brought him to Cerise. </p><p>"What is it? Who are you?" Cerise questioned, her voice even as her hands clenched into fists. Her expression was a strange combination of confusion and shock, but she managed to hide it behind a blanket of passiveness. It was impossible to say exactly what was going on in her head, though Caius wasn't going to be one to try and figure it out either way, so everything worked out perfectly. </p><p>"That's not important right now," Caius answered. "Your magic... What magic do you have?" His gaze dropped to Cerise's hands, and his eyes narrowed. </p><p>Cerise frowned, realizing that he clearly was not from Igni. If he was, he would have already heard about her exploits, but that was clearly not the case. Even so, she decided to take a risk. If not for December's departure, she never would have gone so far, but her mind was too hazy for her to come up with any other ideas on how to approach this conversation. </p><p>"Moon and electricity. Blend," Cerise replied bluntly. "What's it to you?" She took a small step towards Caius, and despite the height difference, it was clear that she had the upper hand. Caius didn't want to attack her, but Cerise had no qualms about lashing out, and the other occupants of Igni's palace were likely to come if she called for them. </p><p>Caius' eyes flickered wide for a brief moment, and he nodded his understanding. "I see... In that case, I might have a place for you elsewhere in this universe," he replied, crossing his arms. "Let's just say that there are a few people looking for someone with that specific set of powers."</p><p>Cerise watched him carefully, unsure of how she was supposed to respond to something like that. "What are you talking about?" she questioned. Against her will, her heart skipped a beat, and she was thankful that she knew how to hide her emotions to ensure that Caius didn't know how unsettled she had become all of a sudden. </p><p>Cerise wasn't born on Igni. Such was common knowledge among the people of the castle. She wasn't sure of where she had come from, but it clearly wasn't Igni. The planet had neither moon nor electricity magic inherently, and that was more than enough to raise a few eyebrows if people knew anything about planetary power. Cerise didn't have any memories of her birth planet or birth family. As far as she was aware, the only person who had ever cared for her was December. </p><p>Still, with December gone, she couldn't help but be intrigued by the idea of learning more. Cerise was a master of reading people, something that had come with the territory of being a general at such a young age. Many thought she would be easy to exploit, but she always proved them wrong between her inquisitive gaze and passive, unreadable facade. There was no sense of animosity behind Caius' eyes, and without anyone else to turn to, Cerise wanted to hear more about whatever he had to say. It wasn't something she expected, and it frightened her, she had to admit. </p><p>"You aren't from Igni," Caius told her. Both of them were already aware of such going into the conversation as far as Cerise could tell, but that didn't stop him from stating the truth. "I may know the truth of your origins, and if you wish to learn more, all you need to do is come and find me."</p><p>Cerise watched him carefully, blinking in surprise. Her emotionless mask faded away to genuine curiosity. He couldn't be serious, right? There was no way for her to learn the truth of her past as far as she was aware. She and December had been searching on the down low for years, and they never found anything that could even offer an inkling of truth to where she had come from. How could this man simply waltz into her life without any signs of remorse and know so much? It was unsettling, and she felt a shiver run up her spine. </p><p>Before Cerise had the time to properly formulate a reply, Caius was gone. He had dashed off elsewhere, leaving her alone in the hallway once again. The only sound she could hear was the pounding of her heartbeat in her ears, and it was too much for her to bear. Cerise glanced around to try and figure out where Caius could have gone off to, but her attempts were quickly established to be in vain. Something about what he had said frightened her, but she was still curious underneath that fear. </p><p>She had to find him again. It was her only option. </p><p>Cerise's next step was uncertain without December around. All her life, she had been made into a leader on the battlefield for the sake of potentially taking over the Alight Five following December's retirement, but that didn't help her with making decisions on her own. She feared making a wrong step when there was no heat of the moment to press her into a choice. Cerise had always asked for the advice of others, of December, but there was no person for her to turn to in that moment. It was her choice to make. </p><p>And yet, for once, there was no debate about if this was for the best or not. She simply knew that it was her next move. Caius had to be somewhere that she could find easily, and as soon as she crossed paths with him, everything was going to change. Her stomach twisted at the idea, but it wasn't as if things could go back to the way they had been before anyways. With River and December gone, nothing would ever be the same again. Rather than sulk about it, she had to take action. </p><p>Cerise swallowed dryly before closing her eyes and taking in a breath that was far too shaky for her likings. She was going to figure out how to find that man, and when she did, she was going to make sure that he told her the full truth. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>River had been sitting in their room for far too long as far as they were concerned. Their loyalties had already been proven, but it wasn't as if they were able to do much between the attack on Sacred Heart and the subsequent fallout. River didn't have the confidence to leave their room and start wandering around the building, so they instead sat on their bed and stared blankly at the floor, waiting for something to change in the outside world. </p><p>A knock came at their door, and River's head snapped up. They saw Minerva walking inside, but she wasn't alone this time. There was a woman beside her who looked to be much closer to River's age. She had tanned skin not too far off the color of River's own, and her hair was dark brown. The top layer was tied into a pair of buns on either side of her head while the rest was left down. Her eyes were deep purple, and there were three jagged lines streaking across the side of her face from the edge of her right eye. </p><p>The woman's top was purple and lacked sleeves, hugging tightly to her chest and neck before cutting off abruptly at her stomach area. She was wearing a navy blue and black plaid skirt with tall black boots that laced up in the front. Black fingerless gloves went up her arms. </p><p>It was hard at first for River to identify the newcomer, but an image came to mind of a news article she had found on Millennia from a mission a few years prior. This woman was one of the newer teachers at Sacred Heart. Her name was something strange, though River couldn't quite recall it exactly. </p><p>"Alright. Let's get this started," the newcomer smirked. Her smile wasn't exactly devilish, but it was clear to see that she had more than a few tricks up her sleeve. "You must be River. I've heard lots about you already."</p><p>River blinked at the woman in confusion before Minerva let out a sigh. "Pardon her. This is Pepper Melan," the headmistress of Sacred Heart explained. "She's going to be listening to everything that you know about Igni."</p><p>"I'm also here to study that mark you said showed up recently," Pepper went on. "You said it was a Moonlight Blessing and all that, right? Lucky for us, I know how to figure out exactly when magical symbols first appeared."</p><p>"She studies carvings and other small charms," Minerva told River. She was doing a far better job of explaining Pepper's purpose there than Pepper herself was. </p><p>The pieces came together, and River realized what the three lines on Pepper's cheek were meant to indicate. They were magical tattoos of some sort. If Pepper really knew how to study things of this nature, then it was only natural that she would have a few tattoos on her body. River assumed that there were others hidden by the fabric of her top, gloves, and skirt, but she didn't bother searching. </p><p>River nodded slowly to Minerva and Pepper, frowning to themselves. It was still hard for them to think about how they had betrayed Igni, and it was strange how nonchalant Minerva and Pepper were being about the whole situation. Still, they didn't say anything about this, not finding it to be worth it. It was hard to believe that Minerva, hardened as stone, was going to be willing to listen when Sacred Heart was still in chaos, and River hadn't seen enough of Pepper to make a firm assessment quite yet. </p><p>Minerva turned on her heel to walk out of the room with a curt wave. "Stay out of trouble, both of you," she declared before leaving the area. She shut the door behind her, and as the sound echoed, River realized that it was just them and Pepper left in the room. </p><p>Pepper didn't hesitate at all to sit down next to River, a wide grin on her face. It was hard to say what was really going through her head, but River wasn't exactly in the mood to try and find out anyways. Instead, they watched Pepper carefully, waiting for the woman to act first. </p><p>"Alright. Why don't you start off by telling me everything that you know about Igni right now?" Pepper questioned. "The more that you're able to tell us, the sooner we're able to formulate a strategy on what to do about all of this. Plus, it means that you'll be able to cut ties sooner and start a new life away from that messy planet. What do you say to all of that?"</p><p>Pepper was doing an oddly good job of being conversational while speaking with someone who had once been a general on Igni, and River found themselves being taken away by her casual demeanor. Even so, she managed to shake off such concerns with a nod. "Yes... Of course," they said softly. </p><p>The words just flowed from there. Pepper simply nodded and smiled, her grin never slipping no matter how serious the subject matter. In a way, it was a bit unsettling, but River just kept talking. In the end, they had to tear their gaze away from hers in order to speak without getting distracted. It was difficult to judge how long the conversation had lasted, but River had long since given up on trying to evaluate time in the room they had come to call their own. </p><p>"Alright. Now that we've gotten all of that stuff out of the way, it's onto the next step," Pepper declared, rising to her feet. She stretched her arms above her head and brought them down to her sides slowly. "Go on and show me that Moonlight Blessing symbol, and I'll get right to evaluating it."</p><p>River nodded slowly, biting at their lip as they exposed the mark properly for Pepper to examine it. In the back of their mind, they wondered how things were going for the rest of the Alight Five, and part of them wished they had been given a chance to say goodbye. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Wow new character and new update</p><p>-Digital</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0024"><h2>24. XXIV: Dulled Light</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Faerner discovers December's location as Michaela attempts to aid Luce with her trauma.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>December and Altina were taking some time to get used to each other once again. Since they had spent so many years apart, it seemed nearly impossible for them to slip back into the old routine that they had once enjoyed so much. Most conversations between them devolved into silence after a while. Even so, they were enjoying the company of a living relative after so many years spent apart. A week after December's arrival, her presence still didn't feel entirely real. </p><p>Altina had heard of the exploits regarding a general on Igni years prior, but she never thought it could be her sister. The words of an ice mage immediately dashed her hopes, and she didn't bother digging any deeper once the initial disappointment left too harsh a sting. As for December, she was completely unaware of Altina's rise to fame on Millennia. It wasn't too surprising, but it still disappointed her.</p><p>Surion knew how to keep the people of Igni under his control, and one of his many tactics was to suppress information and travel. It was rare to find uncensored information from foreign planets, and pulling off portal spells became nearly impossible when the supplies were snuffed out. That was his way of stamping out any rebellions before they could become interplanetary. December had been aware of such for years, but she never imagined that it would lead to her prolonged separation from Altina.</p><p>When she first heard Altina's voice after the initial attack, December had been sure that it was a figment of her imagination. Even so, she tried to learn more, but her research always came up short thanks to Surion's indirect interference. It was demoralizing even after the two had managed to reunite no matter how much December tried to move past it.</p><p>The unspoken words hanging in the air were of the missing link between the two sisters. They had come back together, but there was still one person missing. Salem had not yet been found, and even if Altina and December had reunited, the loss of Salem seemed fresher once they were a pair again. Neither of the sisters said a word on the matter, but quiet grief seemed to crush their shoulders within the darkened silence.</p><p>The siblings sat in Altina's office at Acadia, flicking through paperwork together. It was something they could do without thinking much, and it allowed them to enjoy the presence of the other without any issues. The window was left exposed, allowing dulled sunlight to stream through. The only sound that could be heard was the turning of pages.</p><p>The window was left perfectly clear until one small figure peered up from the bottom. The head of a snake looked in through the glass, a devilish gleam in its eyes. The creature stared at the sisters for a moment before slithering away, leaving no evidence of its presence behind.</p><p>The snake didn't stop moving until it was far away from the schools. Scales shifted into skin, and Faerner stood tall and proud within the woods of Millennia. Ever since December's disappearance, a search had been conducted in an attempt to find her. As soon as his head injury healed, Faerner set out to try and learn more. The other members of the Alight Five were perfectly content to feign innocence, but he had the sneaking suspicion that there was more to the situation than that.</p><p>Faerner couldn't help but let out a dry chuckle as he found his full height once again. Surion was certainly going to want to hear about how his most prized general had wound up as a lapdog to the headmistress of Acadia. He couldn't keep the smirk off his lips, and the prospect of battle bloomed fresh in his mind.</p><p>Faerner didn't have the slightest clue who had attacked him. Originally, he had believed it to be one of the head teachers from the Millennium Six, but with the fresh knowledge of December's betrayal, he was starting to wonder if perhaps she was involved. He didn't have any evidence of such, but it didn't matter much to him.</p><p>After all, he wanted revenge either way. Regardless of who had attacked him, Faerner was going to return with bloodshed on his mind to finish the job he had failed to complete the night of the Sacred Heart raid. The original goal had been to reclaim River from the school for witches, but such was forgotten quickly in the name of a rematch. Faerner cast a portal spell and slipped through it quickly, desperate to tell Surion of all that he had found.</p><p>~~~~~</p><p>The week after the Sacred Heart invasion passed in a timeless sort of haze that left Luce feeling numb to the world. Classes picked up, but it felt as if everything had slowed down somehow. After the attack on Sacred Heart, she couldn't help but feel jittery about every little shadow that moved in her wake. Realistically, she knew that was just being paranoid, but she still couldn't get past the idea that something awful was bound to happen sooner or later. </p><p>This was one thing that Luce had certainly not missed during the Thanatos War. Even before Iago lashed out, it was clear that there was always the threat of danger. Stability was difficult to come by when he was always so close, near enough to brush the girls with his terrible influence. With the Alight Five, it somehow felt even worse, and Luce hadn't even realized that was possible. </p><p>In fact, everyone seemed to be feeling the pull of Igni's problems. Times within the dorm were silent and tense as everyone went about their business, none willing to be the person to bring up everything that was happening. After how much had happened subsequently, the sudden silence was eerie, and Luce shuddered whenever she thought about it. </p><p>The only real tidbit of good news was that December had properly left behind Igni. That meant that only three members of the Alight Five were still on the other side of the fight, and they all respected December as a commander immensely. That would mean there was a chance of dragging Cerise, Arisu, and Eros over to the side of Millennia. Even so, Luce couldn't shake her nerves. </p><p>Ever since the fight with Carys, Luce had felt a bit uptight. She would be lying if she said that the series of events hadn't bothered her. Carys being taken away to the palace had been terrifying, and it was the sign of the group's largest failure in a long time. There was this strange sense of unpredictability to the Alight Five, and Luce was nervous even if December and River had turned traitor. Who could say what was going to happen next? </p><p>Luce's odd behavior didn't go unnoticed, and it was how she found herself trudging into Michaela's office after class hours had ended. The magical combat teacher was sitting in her office just as she always did, a pleasant smile on her face. Luce sat down in the chair facing Michaela silently. She didn't bother speaking up, knowing that Michaela was going to start the conversation no matter what she did. </p><p>"You've been rather quiet as of late," Michaela commented, leaning forward to gaze at Luce intensely. "I get the feeling that all of this chaos has been bothering you."</p><p>"Of course it has," Luce muttered sourly with a shake of her head. "Things have been working out fine, but how much longer is our luck going to keep up? It feels like each time I start to get better about all of this, I slip right back to where I was before. Carys being attacked and nearly killed during our Igni infiltration was just the beginning. She got out alive, but... What if she hadn't? As for the attack on Sacred Heart, what if people hadn't been awake to realize the Shadows were coming? Everything could have fallen apart so easily. We're walking on eggshells, and it's only a matter of time before they crumble."</p><p>Michaela listened intently with a sympathetic gaze. She reached one hand out to take Luce's fingers within her own, a gentle smile gracing her lips. "I know that it's frightening, but you aren't dealing with this alone. There are many people here at Alitia willing to work with you to get through these trying times. Look at the rest of your team. You've gained quite a reputation, I must say," Michaela pointed out. "You've been there for each other through thick and thin."</p><p>"Still, I can't help but worry about all of this," Luce murmured. "I'm used to mercenary work. I fought in all sorts of small battles before I came here. It was why I came to Millennia in the first place. Professor Ogun met me while I was trying to take down the Possession Master ages ago. Still, mercenary work can't exactly prepare you for the reality of war. It feels like that's all my life has become. I know that I have the ability to turn away and leave whenever I want to, but... I can't abandon people like that. I don't know if I have the ability to press on during all this, but I don't think I can leave either."</p><p>"I'm sorry about all of this," Michaela said softly. "I know that it isn't easy. War is not a pretty thing to see from afar, much less to live through up close. Plus, you're so young... You shouldn't have to go through something like this, but here you are. You're surviving, and we're all here to support you."</p><p>"How long can we keep getting lucky?" Luce whispered. "This constant pressure... It's suffocating. Even if we managed to stop Iago, the fact of the matter is that we're still a handful of children trying to topple an entire planet. Igni's leadership is out for blood, and they aren't going to stop until they get it. King Surion is doing all of this with only malice in mind. If he really wanted answers for Octavia's death, he wouldn't send a group of children to their deaths at the hands of some of the most powerful fighters in this current age."</p><p>Michaela sighed. "I understand... Unfortunately, it doesn't get any easier until you take a step back and accept that you can't take all of this weight on your own. You think of yourself as their leader. When everyone was lost during the Thanatos War, you stepped up, and it's become an unofficial position for you ever since. That doesn't mean that you have to sacrifice your emotions in the name of being a soldier, Luce."</p><p>Luce hesitated before shaking her head. "I don't know. It's just... It's so much to deal with all at once. Everyone is looking to me as a guiding beacon towards the future, but I don't know if I can take their expectations at this point. I don't know what to do anymore. An entire planet's army being after us... It's so much more than one person from Sierra. All of them have Moonlight Blessings, and if we're long about the Alight Five's loyalty to December, they could unleash the full force of multiple armies on us at a moment's notice. I don't know how I'm supposed to keep everyone's spirits up while still grappling with that reality. I'm a teenager. What can I do from here?" she questioned. The words tumbled out before she had a chance to stop herself. </p><p>"You need to admit that you aren't just a faceless figure people look to for leadership," Michaela answered. "Making yourself into a figurehead because you believe it will keep morale up won't help anyone. Leaders are people just like everyone else, and hiding how terrified you are won't help a thing. You're human like the rest of your team, like the rest of the occupants of this school and every other one. You're allowed to admit when things aren't going well."</p><p>"It's just hard," Luce spat out, her shoulders melting with the release of the words. "I don't know how my father was able to pull it off. He wasn't much older than I was, but he was one of the frontrunners in the War of Starlight. My mother brought someone with the power of a god to his knees, and I didn't figure out how to control my powers until less than half a year ago. Now, I'm being forced to walk into my second war. It's... I don't know. It's just a mess."</p><p>"You aren't going to be able to help yourself until you admit that you're not a paragon of leadership. You can make mistakes," Michaela assured her. </p><p>"Carys made a mistake on Igni by opening herself from an attack from Faerner. She could have easily died of poisoning in the dungeons of Igni, and she would have likely been used as a bargaining chip for the sake of waging war. The rest of us weren't able to help her, and that was our mistake. Slipping up can be deadly," Luce pointed out. </p><p>"But keeping all of your concern inside isn't going to do you any good," Michaela chimed in. "As soon as you get the chance, I want you to talk about this with your team. They know you better than anyone else both as a leader and as a person. You need them just as much as they need you, and if anyone can convince you that you don't belong on that pedestal of perfection you've started to envision, it's them."</p><p>Luce fell silent at her words before nodding blankly. She didn't know how she was going to pull it off, but the least she could do was make an attempt. "I understand."</p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Cerise was surprised when she received the summons from Surion. Arisu and Eros were with her at the time, and they all exchanged passive glances that seemed unreadable to any outside parties. However, Cerise was fully aware of what they were thinking. She was wondering the same. </p><p>Did this meeting have anything to do with December? If so, what could have happened? Cerise felt her stomach knot furiously inside her body as she moved towards the throne room. Arisu wound up opening the door, and she streamed in after they had walked inside. Eros took up the rear, a scowl written plainly on his face. His angered gaze never left Faerner. </p><p>Surion was waiting for them when they arrived, and he somehow seemed even less happy than usual. Rather than begin with the formalities, he got right to the point. "December has been found. She willingly betrayed us to live on Millennia with our enemies," he declared bitterly. "As such, Faerner will become the new leader of the Alight Five."</p><p>Cerise felt sick to her stomach, but she managed to hide such by biting her lip and continuing to watch the king. Faerner's smile somehow grew larger. </p><p>"You're attacking Millennia once again to finish what was started before. Faerner has already summoned many of the Shadows. All six of the schools will fall here and now," Surion went on. "Millennia tried to run from my flames, so it shall be absorbed in smoke and ash."</p><p>Cerise didn't even realize the portal spell had been cast until she was on Millennia, and she knew it was already too late. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>The ground was shaking before Luce could properly come to her senses. </p><p>She was still sitting in Michaela's office, too absorbed in the silence and reality of her promises to rise to her feet and leave. Soon enough, she didn't have the chance to depart even if she had wanted to. The floor quaked beneath her, and Luce looked over to her professor. Michaela was just as surprised as she was. </p><p>Luce didn't wait for an answer from Michaela. Adrenaline was rushing through her before she had the chance to fully react, and she transformed into her Isolis form without offering an explanation. Her wings lifted her from the ground, and Luce felt her heart pounding in her chest. Everything she had discussed with Michaela was forgotten in the blink of an eye, and all she wanted to do was figure out what was going on. Distantly, Luce heard her teacher cry out her name, but Luce didn't turn around or offer any replies. </p><p>The mercenary didn't stop flying until she was outside of Alitia. The sky had grown oddly dark, but the overhead shadows didn't appear to be from clouds. A shiver ran up Luce's spine as she realized what was happening. </p><p>The darkness was being caused by a layer of dark sludge that seemed neither liquid nor solid. The same color was marching closer to the school's gates, little more than a shapeless mass on the horizon. The color was too familiar to Luce, and she knew they were Shadows. </p><p>Countless other students were streaming out to the courtyard, and Luce felt a shiver sprint up her spine. Somebody was launching an attack on the school, and while she didn't know why, Luce was positive that she had to defend herself and those around her. </p><p>Transformations were executed quickly from all directions, but Luce didn't properly register any of the shifts. Instead, she concentrated on creating a sword made of light. She let the blade rest in her palm for a moment before her fingers curled around the hilt. </p><p>The Shadows were going to be arriving within the next few minutes. Luce took to the skies and looked out at the endless figures marching closer. It was impossible to say how many of them there were, and the army seemed to stretch on for miles. Luce didn't realize that was the case until she was high enough to catch sight of the other schools on the horizon. </p><p>There were enough Shadows to take out all six of the schools positioned around Millennium City. </p><p>The revelation threatened to knock the breath from Luce's lungs, and all she could bring herself to do was watch from afar. She didn't have the faintest idea as to where the rest of her companions were, but she suddenly longed for them to be at her side. Maybe Michaela had been right when she said that Luce needed them just as much as the reverse rang true. </p><p>Luce landed back on the ground once she was finished looking around, and she realized that she was too late to warn anyone. Shadows were already surging towards the gates of Alitia, and she let out yet another involuntary shudder. Zylphia was nowhere to be seen, and panicked cries could be heard all around. Luce knew this was just going to be the start of a long, difficult fight. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Zylphia had been sitting in Jin's office at Angelwood when the first scream pierced the air. </p><p>With all that had been happening, Zylphia and Jin hadn't been given as much time together as they would have liked. Jin had suddenly sprung the idea of sharing a 'romantic dinner' that night, and she wound up following his lead out of exhaustion more than anything else. They were set to head out within the next hour, and they decided to pass the time by talking about all that had happened within the walls of his office. </p><p>All their plans had been forgotten the instant someone's cries of surprise started to echo outside. Zylphia was on her feet within a second, and Jin's eyes went wide in fear. They were both running out of the building as soon as they had gathered their bearings. </p><p>"Shadows," Jin whispered, his eyes wide. "How in the world did they get here?" </p><p>Zylphia shook her head. "I don't know, and I don't care. Let's just get rid of them," she told him bluntly. She jumped into the air, levitating about thirty feet off the ground. Zylphia thrust her right hand forward, and blue electricity crackled forth from her palm. The energy slammed into a faction of Shadows, sending sludge flying every direction. The skies overhead were dark, and she couldn't help but wonder why. </p><p>Then it started to rain. </p><p>The dark sheet that had covered the sky began to drip, and furious, large drops started falling from the sky. Zylphia was caught by surprise when the first hit made contact with the bare skin of her forearm. She looked up and realized what was likely happening. </p><p>The sludge was thick enough to keep people from flying. This was a deliberate effort to keep fliers from taking to the skies and gaining the height advantage. After all, such had been the main cause of undoing during the fight at Sacred Heart. The person behind this was acting with the knowledge of the failed invasion in mind. </p><p>"Faerner," Zylphia murmured. Another few drops fell upon her skin, and she was forced to land once again. If she was covered with the sludge, it would have added too much extra weight for her to fly. It was better she land of her own free will rather than because she was sent spiraling downwards later. </p><p>"Zyl?" Jin questioned, dashing up to her with concern written on his face. He wrapped one arm around her shoulders, seeing the concern in her eyes. "What's going on?"</p><p>"Faerner has to be behind this," Zylphia answered. "There's no way that it's anyone else. That sludge up there... It's the same material Shadows are made from. It's too heavy for people to fly through."</p><p>Jin sighed to himself, shaking his head. "Of course it is... We're going to have to find a way to figure this out. I hope it's only Angelwood under attack. I don't want anyone else to get hurt," he said softly, his words cautious. </p><p>Zylphia's eyes shot wide open. "Tanith," she whispered breathlessly. "What if Alitia is under attack too? What are we supposed to do about that?"</p><p>"We don't know if anyone else is in danger," Jin told her. "For now, let's just focus on the fight in front of us. We can check in on Tanith after this is over. She knows how to take care of herself, and I doubt that Alitia is even in danger. We've never seen more than one school under attack from Shadows. It would take a lot of energy and time to conjure that sort of army. I'm sure it will be alright."</p><p>Zylphia nodded at his words, not really believing them. Still, she did her best to take them to heart, and she launched herself into the fight not long afterwards. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>"We're going to Acadia."</p><p>Faerner's command caught Cerise by surprise, and she turned to face him. She tried her best to keep her expression passive, but she already knew that a few traces of anger were starting to seep through. </p><p>"What?" Arisu questioned, tilting their head to the side. "I don't--"</p><p>"That's where December is," Faerner replied. "She betrayed us, so I think it's only right that we go after her first. She needs to see that she made a mistake. If she wants to abandon Igni, then she's going to have to pay the price."</p><p>Cerise stared at him with her jaw dropped. "You're a monster," she said without thinking. Immediately, she regretted it. </p><p>"I'm doing what I have to in order to protect my planet. You should be thinking about doing the same rather than whatever loyalties you have to a traitor," Faerner told her, his expression twisted and dark. "You don't know what you're talking about. Now, why don't we head over there?"</p><p>"How did you summon this many Shadows?" Eros asked, his gaze solemn and heavy. "It shouldn't be possible to bring so many of them to life out of nowhere this way."</p><p>"I've been preparing," Faerner shrugged. "Whenever I've gotten upset or angry this past week, I've just summoned more of them. They've been doing a rather good job at staying hidden in the trees between the schools. Everyone here on Millennia is too afraid to leave their campuses to look around. They didn't even realize anything was wrong."</p><p>"You've been looking forward to when you got the order to invade," Cerise snarled. "You've been thinking about the potential for massive loss of life, and you've been getting ready for it."</p><p class="">Faerner let out a chuckle and a shrug. "Such is the way of people like me. You really shouldn't act so surprised. In all honesty, this is something that you should all be used to by now. You've been working for the king far longer than I have, after all," he replied nonchalantly. He started walking in the direction of Acadia. </p><p class="">Cerise glared at his retreating back. She had more than a few words for him, but she couldn't bring herself to speak any of them. She wondered if she would be able to overpower him, but his instincts were likely too honed for her to try. She wouldn't be able to communicate with Arisu or Eros about lashing out either as long as he was standing right there. </p><p class="">Her hands clenched into fists, and her nails dug into her palms. She had to find a way to get out of there, but she didn't know how that was going to be possible. </p><p class="">~~~~~</p><p>Luce didn't know what was happening. </p><p>The overheard sludge had forced her onto the ground despite her numerous attempts to take off, and each strike she lashed out with made her feel heavy. It was too much for her to deal with, and all she could do was use her limited range of sword attacks from the ground. </p><p>She hadn't seen any familiar faces since the fight started, left swarming with too many upperclassmen to count. None of them were able to fly either, and Luce felt fear build in her stomach. Her nerves twisted suddenly, and she feared for a moment if survival was even possible in these circumstances. </p><p>"Luce!"</p><p>She was immediately grounded with the cry of a voice she knew well. Relief broke out on Luce's face, and as soon as she shoved her sword into a nearby Shadow before retreating towards the sound of Sylvia's shout. </p><p>Sure enough, the other girl was standing a few feet away. Sludge was smeared along her cheek, and her breaths were heavy, but it was her. Sylvia shoved one hand over Luce's shoulder, allowing white lightning to explode forth from the surface of her palm. A nearby Shadow exploded shortly afterwards. </p><p>"What's going on?" Luce questioned, letting out a breath she hadn't even realized she had been holding. "Are you alright? Where are the others?"</p><p>Sylvia shook her head. "I don't know. The Shadows just showed up out of nowhere. I don't know who summoned them or why. I got separated from them when the Shadows first appeared, and I don't know where any of them are. I can't fly. The sludge is just too heavy for me to power through," she told Luce, her words practically combining in her moment of worried panic. </p><p>Luce let out a sigh. "I understand... We're just going to have to figure out a way to get through this together," she answered, unsure of what else she could say to reassure Sylvia. In the end, she settled for falling silent, and she charged back into the heat of the fight, Sylvia a few feet behind her. </p><p>As she slashed the Shadows to ribbons, she couldn't help but wonder what in the world she was supposed to do. Luce hadn't missed this all too familiar sense of growing fear that threatened to swallow her whole. She hadn't fought against Shadows this way since Iago had been involved in her life. Even if the circumstances were different this time, the similarities were too great for Luce to ignore. </p><p>All she could find herself wanting was for it to be over. Things were a mess already. None of the teachers were anywhere in sight, and if they were on the campus at all, they had been eaten by the crowd of panicked students. Zylphia wasn't there to command everyone with her regular sense of mature power, and such was definitely starting to show. Luce's teeth clamped together, and she carved another Shadow in half. When would this crap end? </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>River didn't understand why this was happening, but they wanted it to stop. </p><p>The second wave of Shadows within the span of two weeks was unsettling, and they knew that it must have had something to do with all that had happened on Igni. They had heard that December had left the Alight Five. Minerva had mentioned in passing that she was living at Acadia with Altina, who had been revealed to be her sister. Such information was shocking to River, but it still didn't surprise her as much as the sudden invasion of the Shadows. </p><p>River felt odd fighting as they were in that moment. They were gathered with Nebula and Anneliese, who had been working as a duo up until the arrival of the former general. At first, the sight of them had made River feel sick. It reminded them of all they had done while working as a general on Igni, and there was no way for them to banish such guilt on their own. </p><p>However, if it bothered Nebula and Anneliese, they didn't show such in the slightest. Instead, they continued fighting just as they always had, and River found themselves gravitating towards the pair. There was no animosity in either of their eyes, and such comforted River in a way they didn't know how to describe. The lack of hate they displayed told River that they didn't hate them. Perhaps forgiveness was a strong word, but it was something, and that was all River needed in that moment. </p><p>They didn't lose control of their magic during the fight. Rather than fighting in the name of a legacy they were being forced to uphold, River fought for themselves, and that was enough. For the first time in many years, the gentle feeling of burning along their skin was not a bother. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Wow next week is the halfway point of this story that's ridiculous</p><p>-Digital</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0025"><h2>25. XXV: At Destiny's Whim</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Faerner continues leading his invasion, leading to Cerise being placed at a split in her future.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Leviathan wasn't dealing with the Shadows when they arrived on the doorstep of Sierra. He and Fromir led the charge into the battle, watching one another's backs to the best of their abilities. Aurore had been lost in the chaos, but Leviathan didn't particularly mind. He knew that she was able to take care of herself; she wouldn't be a Guardian if that wasn't the case. </p><p>Fromir, on the other hand, didn't seem to be taking the stressful situation anywhere near as well. He couldn't sit still, practically running around with wide eyes and a terrified expression. Even after spending time at war while he was a teenager, Fromir was still just as susceptible to nerves as the rest of the world, and it was certainly starting to show. </p><p>"Are you okay?" Leviathan called out over his shoulder. He morphed into a dragon before kicking off the ground, exhaling one large huff of fire before falling back to the ground to where Fromir was waiting for him. He wasn't able to stay afloat for much longer than that, getting rid of his most powerful attacks before he had the chance to execute them. Internally, Leviathan cursed the rain falling from above. </p><p>Fromir didn't offer an answer at first, instead summoning a small barrage of dark daggers before flinging them at the Shadows. When he finally registered that Leviathan had asked him a question, he turned towards the Guardian. "Oh! Um... Yeah!" he cried out, though it was clearly far from the truth. He distracted himself by attacking another cluster of Shadows, unwilling to meet Leviathan's eyes and let on how disoriented he was. Unexpected battles had never been Fromir's forte. He was a strategist by nature, and planning attacks before executing them had always been his preferred method of fighting, but the Shadows left no time for tactics with the sudden invasion. </p><p>"How about this?" Leviathan questioned, a mischievous grin spreading across his features. "When we get out of this alive, I'll take your mind off all of this by taking you on a date. That way, you have something positive to look forward to rather than focusing only on the battle."</p><p>Fromir's face immediately went red at the implications. Was Leviathan being serious? He tended to joke around far more than most of Fromir's companions, but there was something in his voice that screamed he was being sincere. Maybe a day out of Sierra was what he needed with all the stressful events taking place around him. It couldn't hurt to at least go along with it for a while longer. It wasn't as if he had much time to think it over with the battle raging on around him. </p><p>"Alright," Fromir replied after a moment of hesitation. He let out a fierce kick at a nearby group of Shadows, sending the monsters scrambling backwards in a domino effect. As soon as they hit the ground, they were left as little more than a pile of sludge, and Fromir let out a sigh. He was certainly due for a break. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>"How are we supposed to make all of this stop?" came Sylvia's voice, somehow piercing the chaos to reach Luce's ears. Sylvia's expression could only be defined as stressed, and it was clear that she was taking the surprise attack just as well as Luce was. </p><p>"We have to figure out who's summoning these things, but I don't know how we're supposed to do that," Luce replied, slashing her sword in a wide arc to cut a trio of Shadows in half. "We can't fly with all of this sludge in the air, and I doubt we're going to find the culprit around here easily without taking to the skies. Who can say how large this group of Shadows is?"</p><p>Sylvia whimpered before shoving her hand into a nearby Shadow. Her hand got stuck in the sludge for about half a second before she was able to find her footing once again, smirking as she pulled as much energy as possible from the lifeless creature. The nearby Shadows were starting to be impacted as well, and when she tore her arm away, all of them fell to the ground ineffectively. Sylvia turned around and clapped her hands together, and the sound was loud enough to echo. As soon as her palms made contact with each other, an attack made of white lightning tore through the air, eviscerating a group of Shadows in the blink of an eye. </p><p>"Thanks," Luce told Sylvia, unable to bring herself to say much more in the stressful situation. She threw her left hand in the air before slamming it into the ground, creating a shockwave of light energy that spread outwards rapidly. Shadows began to fall apart as soon as they made contact with the attack. </p><p>"What should we do next?" Sylvia questioned, looking over to Luce with a small frown on her face. "You have to have some idea, right?"</p><p>This was what Luce had been dreading, not that she would ever admit it to her dear companion. She didn't know if she was going to be able to bear the weight of Sylvia's expectations in the heat of the moment, and it was starting to bother her already. If any of their other friends showed up, Luce would undoubtedly be the one giving orders, so she had to get over it sooner rather than later, but it still got on her nerves. </p><p>Luce shook off her doubts as soon as she knew how to. "We're going to have to keep fighting. If all goes well, we'll be able to carve a hole through the crowd and take the fight directly to whoever is leading this battle," she told Sylvia. She saw her friend nod to her out of the corner of her eye, and Luce felt her stomach twist. Sylvia's eyes said that she believed in her so much. Luce couldn't let her down as long as Sylvia was looking to her as a source of hope. </p><p>There was a break between the Shadows wide enough for Luce to jump through. She wrapped her fingers around Sylvia's wrist before taking off into a sprint, dragging the other girl behind her. Sylvia took a few seconds to fully find her footing again, and they were running once more not long afterwards. </p><p>Luce was able to stab fiercely at any Shadows that got too close, and the remaining creatures who offended their boundaries were fried in an instant by Sylvia's energy blasts. There was a path certainly forming for them both, and if all went well, they would be able to use it to continue moving towards the source of the Shadows. </p><p>However, Luce soon came to a stop as she realized there was a turning point in the Shadows' behavior. She and Sylvia were standing between two groups of Shadows, one clearly much larger than the other. The smaller one was marching towards Alitia, but the other was going off in a different direction. There weren't any signs of a leader yet, so Luce assumed that they were with the rest of the Shadows. </p><p>"Where are they going?" Sylvia questioned, looking to Luce in concern. She thrust her palms forwards and blasted another clump of Shadows to bits. </p><p>Luce thought for a moment, calculating their location in relation to the rest of the Millennium Six. As far as she could tell, the Shadows were all heading in the same direction, and it pointed towards.... "Acadia," Luce concluded. "They're going to Acadia."</p><p>Sylvia nodded and raised one hand to wipe at the sludge near her face. It was starting to weigh down her hair, and a few drops were threatening to drip into her eyes. She looked up and grinned, realizing that she and Luce were covered by the trees of the woods between the schools. "Hey, Luce, you know what this means?" she questioned. </p><p>Luce raised an eyebrow in Sylvia's direction before slamming the hilt of her blade into a nearby Shadow. She followed up with a light blow from her left palm. </p><p>"We're out of the rain right now," Sylvia replied. She turned towards Luce and closed her eyes as her palms started to glow with white light. She carefully touched Luce's wings, and when she did, the sludge on the surfaces began to loosen before falling into the grass. When she was finished, Luce's wings were clean as could be. </p><p>Luce smirked at Sylvia's actions. "I see... A wing cleaning spell," she murmured. She handed her sword to Sylvia roughly as soon as the other girl was ready for it, and Sylvia immediately let out a yelp as the weight of the sword sent the blade of light into the ground. She managed to keep hold of the hilt, but she had nowhere near as much experience with heavy swords as Luce did, and it was certainly starting to show. </p><p>Luce didn't let this bother her in the slightest. She moved around to Sylvia's back and started working her own magic using the same spell. It was one that they had learned rather recently in Adrianna's class, and Luce never would have guessed that it would come in such handy. She waited until Sylvia's wings were completely cleared before throwing her left arm into the air, creating a shield of yellow energy above them. She took her sword back into her right hand before rushing out of the trees and taking off. Sylvia followed her lead. </p><p>Flying with both the shield and the sword was far from effective, so Luce allowed her blade of light to disappear into nothingness in favor of focusing on the barrier. Now that they were up in the air, it was clear as could be that the Shadows were marching on Acadia. Luce shared a knowing glance with Sylvia, earning a nod in return, before they kept flying. She didn't know what the Shadows could have wanted from Acadia, but she was going to find out. She had the sneaking suspicion that it had something to do with the Alight Five, and if it did, she was going to do whatever she had to in order to fight them off. </p><p>After all, that was what soldiers, what fearless leaders, did best. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Neither Altina nor December were having a good time as the fight raged around them. In fact, that was likely an understatement; there were so many Shadows that it was quickly starting to get overwhelming. Acadia's heroines were strong fighters, yes, but there was only so much that they could do without access to the air. Fighters using ranged weapons such as bows couldn't act as swiftly or easily on the ground, and there was barely enough space to navigate between the Shadows and countless students scattered about. </p><p>"What are we supposed to be doing to get rid of these things if we can't get through?" December muttered, the question clearly rhetorical. The answer was that there wasn't anything they could do. They didn't know who was waiting at the end of this endless stream of Shadows, so it was impossible to send someone out with the appropriate power to take care of them. Sending the strongest fighters was a sure way to weaken the defenses around the school itself, so neither December nor Altina was able to run through the gaps in the fight to see who was behind the invasion. </p><p>Altina didn't offer a reply, but she stopped after slashing her swords in front of her in a horizontal motion. Her eyes went wide, and she could see the leader starting to approach on the horizon. A swear left her lips without much input from her mind. </p><p>It was the man who had led the invasion of Sacred Heart, the same one who December had knocked out for the sake of allowing peace to come that night. Faerner was standing with an obnoxious smirk on his face alongside Eros, Arisu, and Cerise, though none of them looked particularly happy to be there. </p><p>"Hello there," Faerner said, his voice overflowing with venom. He tilted his head to one side in a quiet show of curiosity. "December Yaenu... Traitor to Igni... You know what you did to cause this invasion, yes?"</p><p>December snarled at the sight of him, but she didn't get the chance to attack before another wave of Shadows appeared between herself and Faerner. She stabbed her icy blade into a nearby Shadow, watching as icicles danced for quite the distance after leaving the other side of the monster's body. </p><p>"Well," Altina muttered in frustration, "I think I figured out who's behind this."</p><p>December nodded her agreement, but her stomach twisted at the thought of Arisu, Eros, and especially Cerise having been dragged into this attack. It appeared that the invasion was the embodiment of Faerner's anger with her betrayal, but it didn't have anything to do with the other three members of the Alight Five. She wished that he would just leave them alone, but she knew just as well that it wasn't in his nature. She hadn't known Faerner for long, but she was sure that he was one of the most frustrating people she had ever associated with. </p><p>"Let's go," Altina said next, cutting through December's thoughts in the blink of an eye. December replied with a nod, and the two took off into the Shadowy masses, ready to do whatever they had to in order to defeat Faerner. Altina didn't want to abandon Acadia, but she wasn't sure when or if they would get this chance again. There was no other option but to take it regardless of how terrible the idea seemed. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>"You three should get out of here."</p><p>Faerner's voice caught Cerise by surprise, and her eyes went wide as Faerner turned to face her. She looked to Arisu and Eros to see what they felt on the subject, and she realized exactly what Faerner was talking about. </p><p>Doubt. </p><p>All three of them were starting to doubt that this was truly for the best. Faerner had figured out that December left of her own free will, and he was fearing that something of that nature would happen with the remaining members of the Alight Five as well. He wasn't going to let them use this as a chance to run away from the clutches of Igni's king. </p><p>Before Cerise had the chance to respond, she saw Faerner carving a hole in the sky with his hand. A portal opened up off to Eros' left, and Faerner shoved his other arm out towards the group. It gained scales, transforming into a tail-like tendril, before slamming into the space between Cerise and Arisu. Before Cerise could process what had happened, Arisu and Eros had been shoved back through the portal, and the Blend herself was left sprawled out on the ground. The sudden blow had drained the air from her lungs, and she was suddenly overly aware of her heart screaming in her chest. </p><p>Faerner never got the chance to throw Cerise into the portal, instead cut off by a blast of electricity slamming into the ground between her and the rift. Cerise's head flew up to see who was responsible, and she was met with Luce and Sylvia, who were still flying beneath the former's barrier of magic. The sludge was slipping off the edge of the shield, but Sylvia had still managed to get in an attack to keep Cerise from escaping. </p><p>Faerner snarled in response and shut the gate, leaving Cerise stuck on the same side as the fight. He couldn't risk allowing any of the enemy soldiers to get through. "I didn't expect to see you here today," Faerner remarked with a shake of his head. "I would have thought that you had learned your lesson about messing with us after last time."</p><p>"I don't know what you're trying to pull, but you aren't going to get away with it," Luce declared, her voice hardened and determined. She summoned a sword of light to her right hand and pointed it towards Faerner. </p><p>"This is simply what happens to those who betray Igni. This attack allows us to take care of three birds with one stone," Faerner replied. "River left us, that pathetic former princess killed our heir, and December betrayed the kingdom to be with weaklings like you. This single invasion is going to end all of that."</p><p>"And you're going to Acadia to take care of the strongest target," Sylvia realized, her eyes growing narrow in response. "You aren't going to get away with this."</p><p>Cerise managed to force herself to her feet during the conversation, but she hadn't realized how much she was shaking until she looked down at her palms. She let out a small sigh before looking to Faerner. The attack had begun so quickly that she wasn't given the chance to offer her opinion, and she was definitely thinking that this was far from being a good idea. </p><p>She didn't realize that the battle was raging on around her either. A set of three swords slashed through a cluster of Shadows nearby, splattering her with the disgusting goop the creatures were made of. Cerise cringed at the contact before her eyes went wide as she recognized the people responsible for such an attack. </p><p>Altina and December had managed to tear through enough Shadows to reach the point of the battlefield where she and Faerner were located. Cerise watched them with shock, glancing back to Faerner soon afterwards. What was she supposed to do? She wanted to go with December, to finally leave Igni behind for a brighter future, but Faerner had made it clear as day what fate awaited traitors to the planet. Did she really want to paint an even larger target above December's head?</p><p>"Yaenu!" came the harsh bark of Faerner's voice. Cerise faced him completely, her lips set in a frown. "You had better not leave. You know what will happen to you if you try to walk away from Igni. I do have the power to kill you here and now, and you can certainly expect that to happen if you don't go back."</p><p>Cerise looked over her shoulder to where Altina and December were standing. Altina's expression was unreadable, but Cerise could have sworn she saw concern in her gaze. December's eyes were longing for Cerise to come with her and leave Faerner just as Cerise expected. </p><p>Cerise glanced up to Luce and Sylvia next. They were glaring at Faerner angrily, ready to unleash another attack the second he showed signs of lashing out. Up until that point, they had been considered Cerise's enemies, but she was starting to wonder if perhaps that was entirely the truth. </p><p>"Make your choice," Faerner growled, noticing Cerise's hesitation. "Go on, Yaenu."</p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Back at Alitia, Tanith was not having a good time with the fight. She had managed to team up with Adrianna, Alistair, and S.M. by some miracle, and all of them were fighting fiercely around her. Tanith herself felt absolutely terrible, and her hair was slicked down by the sludge raining from above. She wished that she had Cessair's water magic to get rid of it all as soon as possible. </p><p>"They're not letting up," Adrianna frowned, looking over her shoulder at where Alistair was frying a set of Shadows into nothingness. "What should we do?" The heaviness of the situation was enough to make her stop flirting for the first time since Tanith had met her years prior, and it was enough to send a shiver down the wind enchantress' spine. </p><p>"We'll just have to keep going," S.M. answered for Alistair, slamming one foot into the ground. A pair of pillars made of earth rose up immediately before ramming into each other, destroying all of the Shadows in between them. She sent out a blast of fire shortly afterwards. </p><p>"That's far easier said than done," Alistair murmured. Sweat was forming on his brow, a clear sign that the stress of the fight was starting to weigh him down. He still continued to unleash columns of flame despite this, unwilling to bow against the force of the invading Shadows. </p><p>Tanith frowned to herself, creating a tempest of wind that slashed a group of Shadows to bits. She was starting to grow tired herself, and her magic was longing to run free. She didn't have the full power to control something that strong. It felt as if her energy was too much for her small form to handle all at once. </p><p>
  <em>Use it. I'll protect you.</em>
</p><p>Tanith didn't have time to question where the words came from, instead simply unleashing another blast of air at a nearby group of Shadows. She let out a gasp as a new feeling of strength rammed into her with the force of a tidal wave. It could have knocked her down had she not been careful, but she managed to remain standing. A sigh escaped her lips, and she struggled to remain focused on the fight. </p><p>Purple filled her blue irises, and something in her shifted from that moment forwards. The air that she unleashed in brutal waves was far stronger than before, slashing every Shadow in sight to ribbons. Adrianna shot her an expression of shock, not expecting so much raw power from the young girl. She had known Tanith for a long time, ever since the younger girl had come to be under the care of Zylphia years prior, and this was still something new to her, a power that hadn't ever been unleashed in class. </p><p>Tanith herself didn't even fully realize what was happening at the time either. It was as if her mind was filled with cotton thick enough to slow all coherent thought to a crawl. Meanwhile, another part of her brain was running faster than it ever had before, pushing her onwards with desperation and swift instincts. S.M. looked at her in suspicion, but Tanith couldn't force her tongue to make the words that would reassure her friends. </p><p>S.M.'s moment of examination cost her, and she was grabbed in the upper arm by a nearby Shadow. Her gaze was filled with hatred before fire kicked up around her, burning the Shadow into nothingness less than a second later. She went right back to fighting not long afterwards, though it was clear that even as her focus changed, she was still curious about what in the world was happening with Tanith. </p><p>The wind mage continued fighting with all the strength she could muster despite the numbness of her mind. She felt faint and hyperactive at the same time, an odd paradox she hadn't experienced in such a long time. Her violet eyes scanned the battlefield dangerously with an aura of unpredictability that Tanith didn't even realize she was capable of. </p><p>Was she even capable of it? </p><p>
  <em>I've got this. It's alright. </em>
</p><p>Tanith would have slumped in relief if she had been able to, but her body didn't seem to be responding to her commands. She didn't bother fighting back. Whatever had taken her over was keeping her alive, and there was no way for her to object to that given how intense the fight had come to be in the short period of time since it had begun. </p><p>The battle raged on, but Tanith still couldn't gain real footing in taking control of herself once again. In her mind's eye, she saw the outline of an older woman with hair incredibly similar to hers, but there was no way for Tanith to see her features clearly. She could, however, see the gleam of amethyst eyes beneath the shadow of the woman's bangs, and Tanith watched with soft curiosity for as long as the fight continued. She wasn't aware at all of what her body was doing anymore, but she was fine with that, much to her surprise. After all, it was better than feeling as if her magic was rattling around fast enough within her to explode. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Cerise knew that she had only been considering her possibilities for a few moments, but it seemed as if time was slowing to a crawl as she glanced back and forth between Faerner, Altina, December, Luce, and Sylvia. She knew what she wanted to do, but was that truly the best idea? </p><p>The Millennium Six were still making a stand against the Shadows. Even with no time to attack and a lack of air power, the six schools were able to make a dent in Faerner's seemingly endless forces. Could she trust people capable of that much with her life? What was the point of going back to Igni if she would only feel unsafe anyways? Faerner could punish her for her moment of hesitation as soon as she was out of December's reach. </p><p>Cerise looked up to Luce and Sylvia, and a wave of sorrow filled her body. She had always been following orders up to that point, but when she saw them flying there, she realized what they were. They were children just like she was, barely able to hold a place in a giant world that seemed suffocating at a first glance. Cerise was the same age as them, and the king of Igni had been trying to lead an army against them. Could she really go back to doing something like that? December and River had escaped as soon as their faith began to fall apart, and this was her chance to do the same. Who could say if another opportunity would come once again. </p><p>Cerise looked to Altina and December, seeing the softening of December's eyes as soon as she did. That was the final straw for her, and she knew that her adoptive mother had figured out her decision long before she did. December had always known her incredibly well, perhaps even better than Cerise herself. </p><p>Cerise didn't hesitate when she walked towards Altina and December. A gentle smile appeared on December's features before she turned back to Faerner. She rushed forward, icy blade flashing in the limited lighting, ready to take Faerner on with all she had. </p><p>Faerner ducked beneath the swipe of December's blade before Altina joined the fray, her two swords glinting as well. Luce and Sylvia started firing blasts wherever they could see holes in Faerner's fighting technique, and light beams flashed behind Cerise's eyes. She was still stunned silent at what she had just done, and she was breathing heavily even without moving an inch. </p><p>She had betrayed Igni, and somehow, she liked it. </p><p>Luce was the first one to land a hit in on Faerner. After Altina forced him a few steps backwards, Luce began to change the shape of her sword into an arrow as a bow appeared around her fingers. She pulled back the string and sent the newly-formed arrow flying, and it hit Faerner's shoulder hard. The sight of crimson was enough to make Cerise feel sick, something she was regularly numb to. </p><p>Faerner's hand flew up to his wound, and he snarled angrily. He raised his other arm, creating a large set of claws at his fingertips, before attempting to slash at Luce. He missed her when she flew off to the right at the last moment, instead swiping at empty air. </p><p>Sylvia followed up with an attack, hitting him in the chest with a blast of white energy. Faerner slid backwards just before Altina dealt a swift kick to his side, and he crumpled immediately. December stepped on his claw, and Cerise found herself too stunned to gasp at the sound of broken bone. </p><p>Cerise didn't even realize that her arm was being lifted until it was. Blue electricity danced across her fingertips as she sent an attack into the small space between Altina and December. The lightning hit Faerner just as she had hoped, and his body was suddenly wracked with convulsions before falling limp. The Shadows all fell apart, and the raining sludge overhead disappeared in the blink of an eye, but Cerise was only barely aware of it. </p><p>She had attacked Faerner, and somehow, she liked it. </p><p>Faerner's state of unconsciousness didn't last as long as she would have hoped. His eyes fluttered a short few seconds later, and a portal appeared beneath him on the ground. He fell through it immediately, and the rift shut before anyone could properly react to what he had done. Cerise watched with wide eyes before looking up to Altina and December. </p><p>December walked closer to Cerise, sheathing her sword before a small smile appeared on her face. She wrapped her arms around Cerise's body, pulling her in closer. "Welcome back," she whispered into her daughter's hair, shutting her eyes slowly as the battle fully came apart around them. </p><p>Cerise didn't bother moving to pull away from December. Nearby, Luce and Sylvia dropped to the ground, and Luce's bow of light disappeared. They both transformed back to normal a short few seconds later in a shower of light. The blue-haired mercenary was breathing heavily, her expression impossible to decipher. Sylvia watched her carefully, concern appearing in her gaze. Luce was unable to tear her gaze away from December and Cerise no matter how hard she tried, and Sylvia slipped her fingers into Luce's palm. The gentle squeeze of their hands was the only sign of life that Luce had in that moment. Cerise could have mistaken her for a statue. </p><p>Sylvia slowly started to lead Luce away from the scene, and she shot Cerise a brief glance over her should before the two disappeared into the trees. Cerise watched them helplessly as tears formed in her eyes, streaming down her cheeks without any input from her. She held December a bit tighter and was vaguely aware of Altina pressing her palm against Cerise's shoulder. Nothing seemed to matter but Cerise, December, and Altina in that moment. After all, Cerise's world had just fallen apart. </p><p>She had left behind everything she had ever known, and somehow, she liked it. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I need to stop taking naps tbh</p><p>-Digital</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0026"><h2>26. XXVI: Might As Well</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Cerise grapples with her betrayal of Igni while Sylvia probes Luce about her recent issues.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Cerise followed December and Altina back to Acadia, her footsteps reduced to heavy shuffles through the grass. The sludge from the Shadows still filled the ground, and she was too exhausted to bring herself to transform. All she could do was stare at her surroundings with a frown on her face, praying that she could figure out a next step as soon as possible. </p><p>No matter how many times she remembered what she had done during the fight, it didn't feel real. She had gone against everything she had ever known. Cerise had always known there was a chance she would leave Igni, but it didn't feel right to her. Igni was a terrible place, something she had been fully aware of for much of her life, but she still felt strange about abandoning it. The odd paradox of emotions swirled endlessly in her mind, and her stomach twisted into a brutal knot. </p><p>"Here we are," came the voice of December. Her words cut through the haze Cerise had been in as the three arrived outside the room December had been borrowing until their next step was figured out. December opened the door and gestured for Cerise to walk inside. She nodded her thanks before shuffling over the threshold, glancing around at the simple space. Cerise could have sworn that her heart was screaming in its relentless pounding. </p><p>"We can talk more about this later," Altina suggested. "I have a lot to go and take care of first. I'll see you later." She walked away before Cerise or December had the chance to object, and Cerise watched as she left. </p><p>December placed her hand against the wood of the door before pressing it shut. "So... A lot has happened, wouldn't you say?" she questioned, looking to Cerise with a solemn expression. "I know that this is hard for you, so if you want to talk about it--"</p><p>"Arisu and Eros wanted to leave too," Cerise spat out. Her mind was cast back to their expressions during the fight before Faerner had tossed them through the portal. They had seemed so conflicted, wanting to rebel against Igni, against Faerner, but not quite knowing how to. "I could see it in their eyes. Faerner forced them through the portal, and they didn't get the chance to leave with me."</p><p>"We'll reunite with them soon enough," December assured her, wrapping an arm around Cerise's shoulders. "It's going to be alright." She didn't say anything else, sensing that talking wasn't what Cerise wanted in that moment. She was correct, and all Cerise could do was watch the room blankly. She knew nothing was going to move, but she was still afraid of such anyways. </p><p>December led Cerise over to the bed pressed against the wall of the room, and the two sat down without a second of hesitation. December pulled Cerise into a tight embrace, and after a moment of hesitation, Cerise returned the gesture, burying her face into her adoptive mother's shoulder. Tears didn't form in her eyes, but she felt as if they might as well have. </p><p>Cerise was happy to be away from Igni, but this was still unfamiliar territory to her. The only people she knew were December and River, and who could say if anyone else would even want to reach out to her? She had been working for the enemy up until less than an hour prior. Cerise was used to working on her own as a member of the Alight Five. She was used to commanding armies if she had to as well, earning the respect of most she encountered on Igni. She hadn't ever been around more people at once than in the halls of Acadia, and at the same time, she hadn't ever felt more lonely. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Altina sat down in her chair with a heavy sigh, shutting her eyes before she had the chance to object. Her hair was a tangled mess from the sludge that rained from the sky. Her entire body felt heavy, as if lead had made its way into her bloodstream, and moving suddenly seemed to be the worst idea ever conceived. </p><p>She had just finished sending a message to the rest of her team to give them the updates from the recent fight. By some miracle, Altina had been able to get through to all five of the head teachers from the other schools, and they all took in her message with stunned silence and nods of understanding. The exhaustion in the air was enough to make Altina feel as if she was being pinned against her chair, and she remembered why she hadn't sat down before finishing the call. She wasn't sure if she was going to be able to get back up no matter how much she knew she had to. </p><p>Acadia was in desperate need of recovery. The cleaning process was already underway, but the students were drained and tired in ways Altina hadn't seen in a long time. It was important to get rid of the goo the Shadows had been made of before it could reform into more monsters. If Faerner came back to Millennia, he could have easily used the mess to his advantage to summon Shadows and lash out with another attack. Altina didn't even want to imagine it, so all she did was close her eyes and watch the shadows dance behind her eyelids. </p><p>Between December and Cerise, her inner circle had most certainly expanded. It was going to take time for Altina to properly connect with her sister again after all their time apart, but she was determined to make it work. Cerise was quiet, something December had told her from the start, and Altina could only imagine how difficult it was going to be to convince her it was alright to open up. No matter how she sliced it, the future was not going to be easy. </p><p>Altina couldn't help but think back to the call with the rest of the head teachers at the thought of Cerise. Caius had seemed oddly curious about her when Altina mentioned her, and he was in a hurry to finish the call and move on to other business for reasons Altina couldn't bring herself to ask about. She could investigate later if the need so took her, but until then, all she wanted to do was allow the silence to swallow her. </p><p>Even so, she didn't have much time for a break. Altina managed to curl her hands around the armrests of her chair before prying herself from the cushion, ignoring the sudden wave of dizziness and nausea that slammed into her as soon as she was on her feet. Altina stumbled briefly before grasping at the edge of the table, keeping herself from getting hurt further. There was enough for her to deal with as it was without adding table injuries to her list of problems. </p><p>Altina forced herself to look outside. The sky was muted, offering dulled, off-color sunlight to Millennia. She let out a sigh and closed her eyes briefly before starting for the door. Her students were just as exhausted as she was, and the least she could do for them was make sure that they had help in cleaning up the mess that Faerner had left behind. </p><p>Altina had hated many people in her time, but she was starting to despise Faerner with a fiery passion that she hadn't comprehended since the War of Starlight. She allowed the image of her sword at his chest to push her onwards as she made her way outside to help with cleaning up Acadia. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Luce had been silent the entire way back to Alitia. Sylvia was at her side, watching with concerned eyes, but she didn't say anything. Alitia appeared within Luce's vision, and she let out a sigh, getting ready to head back towards their shared dorm. </p><p>"Wait," Sylvia suddenly said, voice far stronger than Luce had anticipated. She felt a hand around her wrist and turned to see Sylvia's fingers wrapped around her lower arm. </p><p>"What is it?" Luce questioned, watching Sylvia with exhausted wariness. </p><p>"We need to talk," Sylvia replied, eyes suddenly hard and solemn. She pulled Luce a bit closer to her and closed her eyes, snapping her fingers together to create a platform of white energy. She sat down on its surface before pulling Luce down beside her. </p><p>"What is it?" Luce echoed, unable to bring herself to ask anything else. She felt as if her entire body was made of stone, and if she made one wrong move, an earthquake would occur. She focused on Sylvia's gleaming eyes to keep from giving into her own debilitating exhaustion. </p><p>"I'm worried about you," Sylvia admitted, taking Luce's hand carefully between her own. "You... You looked at Cerise during that last fight with such despair. It didn't feel right to see from you at all, and... I'm worried, alright? I feel like there's something going on in your head that you're not telling us about, and it's freaking me out. Please, talk to me."</p><p>Luce opened her mouth with the intentions to tell Sylvia that everything was wrong, to be the perfect leader that she knew she had to be, but she couldn't force her lips to form the syllables. Instead, she let out a sigh and shook her head, her shoulders falling into a tense position as she slouched over herself. "She looked broken," Luce finally whispered, her tongue feeling foreign in her mouth. </p><p>"Broken?" Sylvia repeated, her eyes wide in confusion and fear. "What are you saying?"</p><p>"You saw her when she made her choice, didn't you?" Luce asked. "She was barely responsive to everything happening around her. Whether we choose to admit it or not, it feels as if we're teetering between war and peace once again, but Igni is only going to offer us one option. I don't think that I can keep telling myself that everything is going to be fine. She was falling apart."</p><p>"Why did that bother you?" Sylvia asked. She moved a bit closer to Luce, squeezing the other girl's hand in a comforting gesture. </p><p>"I... I thought that it might as well have been me," Luce spat out before she had the chance to stop herself. "Broken and battered by the trauma of all that's been happening... I've been feeling as if that's the next step for me at this point, but that can't happen. You and everyone else... You're counting on me, and who can say what will happen if I falter? I'm meant to be a fearless leader. People are relying on me to be able to take on whatever comes our way without a second of hesitation. I can't break. I just... I just can't. It isn't an option for me, for any of us, at this point."</p><p>Sylvia was silent for a while, and the seconds felt excruciatingly long to Luce. She looked up slowly at long last. "Hey... Can I tell you a secret?" she questioned. Luce was silent and didn't offer a response, so Sylvia continued anyway. "You're a human."</p><p>Luce looked to Sylvia slowly, a frown forming on her features. Her mouth didn't work to form syllables, so she let the silence continue to drag on. </p><p>"Do you know what I wanted to do when the problem came up with Iago last semester?" Sylvia started. "I wanted to run and hide from it all. The reality was terrifying, and I thought that I had to face it alone if I was going to protect everyone. I felt like I was barely holding it together, and it was terrible. I didn't want to face Iago with anyone by my side out of fear that they'd wind up hurt."</p><p>"That's ridiculous," Luce managed to tell her. "We would have been happy to stand by you no matter what happened. That's what we did in the end, right?"</p><p>"That's exactly what I mean," Sylvia frowned. "I didn't want any help. I thought I could carry all of that on my own, but... The truth is that some things are too much for any one person to deal with. And that's okay. It doesn't make you any weaker to admit that you're not perfect. People don't need you to be perfect."</p><p>Luce was struck silent at Sylvia's words, the irony of her own thoughts not lost on her. She looked down at the place where her hand met Sylvia's, examining the details of the other girl's fingers simply to give her eyes something to do. </p><p>"We don't want to hang around you because you're a perfect soldier, Luce," Sylvia went on. "All of us care about you because you're our friend. We like Luce Elenes, our unofficial leader who looks out for us in her own way. We care about you, the stoic girl who wound up being so much more than we ever could have imagined. We love being around you, an amazing companion who has done so much to aid those around her out of the kindness of her heart."</p><p>An odd sense of warmth bloomed in Luce's chest, and she looked up to meet Sylvia's gaze. Tears were starting to form in her eyes. </p><p>"I don't need you to be perfect, and the rest of the group doesn't either. We simply want you, Luce. I know that you have a lot of pressure on your shoulders right now between what happened last month, but you aren't alone in that boat. We're all struggling to deal with what's going on right now. The Thanatos War hurt us in ways that no person so young should have to understand, but that's why we're here for each other," Sylvia pressed. "We're all here to support one another, to carry each other's weight, because that's what friends are for."</p><p>Luce didn't realize that a tear had slid down her cheek until Sylvia's hand came up to rub it away. She curled into Sylvia's grasp, closing her eyes slowly until all she knew were Sylvia's delicate fingers curled around her own. </p><p>"I think it's time for us all to sit down and talk about everything that's been hurting us," Sylvia said softly. "We were hurt, and bottling up our feelings isn't going to help anything. I tried to do that, and I nearly fell apart. Iago terrified me, Luce. I don't even want to imagine what I would have been driven to if I didn't tell you all about it. I didn't want to at first, but sometimes... In cases like this, it's the people who don't want to talk who need to do it the most."</p><p>Sylvia's hand squeezed around Luce's once again. "When we get back to the room, we should talk about all of this with the rest of the group. We care about each other, and they're going to be willing to help you through this. You all helped me, we're all helping S.M., and they'll all help you too."</p><p>Luce slowly opened her eyes and nodded, unsure of if words could describe how relieved she was to hear Sylvia speak those words. How long had she been holding back on talking to the rest of the group consciously or not? She was suddenly longing to talk to the rest of the group the way that Michaela had been insisting on for a while, and with Sylvia there, she felt a bit better about it. </p><p>Luce wasn't an emotional person naturally. She was used to being stoic in most situations while others were controlled by their feelings. Such had been the case throughout her entire life, and the idea of suddenly changing so drastically was somewhat unsettling to her. Sylvia, on the other hand, didn't seem to mind aiding Luce into the subject of discussing what had happened during the Thanatos War to the rest of the team. </p><p>It was a ridiculous thing to be nervous about, something Luce was fully aware of. Still, she couldn't help but smile as she and Sylvia rose to their feet with their conversation finished. Luce squeezed Sylvia's hand a bit tighter, and the other girl returned the gesture. Luce leaned over and pressed a brief, chaste kiss to Sylvia's cheeks, letting out a small chuckle when the other girl's face went bright pink nearly immediately. </p><p>Sylvia responded by hooking an arm around Luce's arm to the best of her ability, though the height difference between them made it a bit difficult. She kissed Luce directly on the lips before starting to walk off to their shared dorm, swinging her hand at her side. Luce was dragged along with the latter action, a smile broad on her features. Letting all of that out had been oddly liberating, and she couldn't deny that speaking with the rest of their group sounded like an amazing idea. They had been through the same thing as Luce and Sylvia, so if anyone was going to understand, it would be them. </p><p>The journey back to the dorm was silent, and Luce didn't mind it in the slightest. She enjoyed the atmosphere of finally feeling like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders, and Sylvia was more than happy to remain quiet as well. Luce found herself glancing down to the place where her hand interlocked with Sylvia's, and she couldn't help but wonder how she had gotten so lucky to wind up with such an amazing young woman. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Caius was quick as could be when he knocked his fist against the door of Leviathan's room at Sierra. He was surprised to see the one to answer it, but he didn't object in the slightest. Aurore pushed the door open and gestured for Caius to enter, noting the solemn expression that had spread across his features. Caius nodded to her and glanced around the room. </p><p>Leviathan was in the restroom, Caius assumed. The door was open and the light was on. Caius could hear muttered swears from inside the room, so he approached with slow curiosity. Caius noticed upon walking in that Leviathan was leaned over the sink trying to pull clusters of sludge away from his hair. He was only getting so far, and the dark goo was staining his mahogany hair nearly everywhere. Judging by how Aurore's hair was significantly cleaner, Caius assumed that she had already taken her chance to attempt to clean the remnants of the fight away. </p><p>"You sure do seem excited about something," Leviathan commented. His fingers snagged on a particularly nasty tangle, and he yanked out a piece of goo without a moment of hesitation. A small clump of hair came out along with it, and he huffed in anger. "Damn it."</p><p>"I think that I've completed the primary objective of our mission," Caius replied. He leaned against the door to the restroom while Aurore took to standing on the other side of the threshold in the main room. </p><p>Leviathan stopped combing through his hair and looked up to Caius with a tilt of his head. "Oh? Don't hold back on us," he remarked before getting right back into it. Leviathan's expression twisted with upset a moment later as he caught another tangle between his fingers. </p><p>Caius did his best to ignore the pained expression on Leviathan's face as he continued. "I got a message from Altina that Cerise has left behind Igni completely. I have come to believe that she is a Blend due to our previous missions on the planet, and it should be clear what I'm trying to say here."</p><p>"You think that she's the one," Aurore whispered breathlessly. "I mean, it wouldn't be completely out of the question. She was on Igni and clearly does not belong there. Her magic is proof enough of that. We could at least ask December if she knows anything on the subject."</p><p>"It might be a good idea to go on and send for the king and queen," Leviathan suggested. He shook his head to try and loosen the remaining tangles within his hair, but it only got him so far, and he was left leaning back over the sink with the water running just like before. "They've been getting really impatient because we haven't gotten back to them yet with information on where their kid is."</p><p>"I believe that she's the most likely suspect out of the people we've come across so far. Even if we could do a bit more research, it certainly wouldn't hurt to let them know of the progress that we've made," Caius agreed with a nod. "Aurore, would you be alright with reaching out to them?"</p><p>Aurore nodded. "Yeah, that's no problem. Of course, I'll probably hold off on doing it tonight... I don't think that any of the schools are really in a position to receive them right now, and it would be best if we kept from adding to the heavy workload that the head teachers are already dealing with," she told Caius. </p><p>"That sounds like a spectacular idea," Leviathan nodded, looking to Caius. "You've got just as much of this gross stuff in your hair as I do, and let me tell you in advance that it's not easy to get out. It doesn't just weigh down wings in battle; it ruins hairstyles."</p><p>"I never thought I would envy Minerva so much, but here we are," Caius muttered with a shake of his head. Minerva's hair was incredibly short, and if the goo wrapped within didn't come out easily, she could have just set it on fire without any risk to herself. It was an ability Caius didn't realize would be useful until just then, but he couldn't shake how much he longed to have that power when faced with the ugly reality of cleaning the remaining sludge. </p><p>"In that case, maybe we should turn in early for the night. It would be best for us to be prepared for whatever is coming our way tomorrow," suggested Aurore. "We want to look our best to meet with the king and queen tomorrow, after all. Plus, we need to send a warning message over to Acadia too, just to make sure that Cerise is ready for what may or may not be taking place tomorrow."</p><p>"This is turning out to be a real headache and a half," Leviathan sighed. "And, before you ask, I am not talking about the goop from the Shadows."</p><p>Caius couldn't help but silently agree, though he was far better about holding his tongue than Leviathan had been. "We'll figure out a way to deal with it," he told the others, though he knew that they already had the same thoughts on the matter. They had been given a mission to carry out, and they weren't going to back down so close to its completion. </p><p>"Well, even if today went completely terribly, I think we can mark this down as our second success of the day," Leviathan declared. "We found the person that we've been searching for, and that has to count for something."</p><p>"Second success?" Caius echoed, confusion written on his features. "What was the first?"</p><p>"I got Fromir to agree to go on a date with me," Leviathan explained, a bright grin breaking out on his lips. "He was having a rough time dealing with the fight, so I did what any logical person would. I offered some motivation that would help him through the rough moment, and he agreed to it. We'll have to sort out a chance to get away from Sierra after the business with Cerise has been all sorted."</p><p>"I didn't even know Fromir was into men," Caius murmured. "Then again, I don't think I ever saw him romantically interested in anyone over the years. He always seemed to be married to his schoolwork above all else."</p><p>"And now, he's got me, and I am much more interesting and fun than schoolwork," Leviathan continued to beam. "Of course, I can only take him out after we've sorted this business with the king and queen of N-Yx, and I can only take care of that after I've finished washing this goop out of my hair. This is an absolute nightmare."</p><p>Caius couldn't hold back a snort when Aurore started laughing. He backed away from the bathroom a few seconds later. "In that case, I'll leave you to it. I should get back to Ridgeview anyways. The cleanup effort is still underway there, and I was only meant to be gone for a while. I'll see you tomorrow," he announced before walking out of the room. Just before he left the room, his ears were filled with the familiar sound of Leviathan swearing in frustration at how aggravating the Shadow remains were. Caius couldn't help but chuckle under his breath as he shut the door gently behind himself. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Cerise and December had been sitting in silence for quite some time before December spoke up once again. Night had fallen after a restless, lengthy evening, and the moonlight was streaming gently in through the nearby window. "How are you doing?" December questioned, reaching one hand out to take Cerise's in her own. </p><p>Cerise kept staring at the ground for a moment longer before shifting her attention up to December. "I've been better," she admitted. "I don't know what came over me. I thought I would be able to handle it, but I was wrong. Faerner just... He pushes me the wrong way. There's something about him existing in general that leaves me feeling sick and upset."</p><p>"I understand," December assured her. "You're going to be able to get through this. We can go and see River soon, and when we do, we can talk about potentially getting Arisu and Eros over here too. You said that they wanted to join us, yes? We might as well do all that we can to pull them away from Igni."</p><p>"We won't be able to rely on them getting away on their own. I'm the only one who knows how to perform portal spells without relying on any other materials," Cerise muttered. "Then there's the matter of Eros not having his axe. It was taken whenever those girls came to Igni a while ago, and we still haven't gotten it back... Everything is just a mess."</p><p>"What are you going to do about them?" December asked, cupping her hand around Cerise's chin. "About the other girls, I mean."</p><p>Cerise hesitated before shrugging. "I don't know. I know that everything that's happened up to this point has been wrong, but... It was for the sake of our survival. Igni is a cutthroat place, and I don't know how forgiving they're going to be no matter how many times I bring that up," she whispered. "I want to apologize for all of that. River has likely already brought it up, but... I don't know. It feels different in my case for some reason. Maybe it's because I'm about their age."</p><p>"It's not going to be easy, but we're going to make life better here," December assured her. "We've been through a lot to reach this point, and it's the least we can do for ourselves. I agree that we're going to have to make up for these recent events as well. Back on Igni, people understood not to associate us completely with the king's blind hatred of leaths, but that's not the case around here."</p><p>"They must already think that I'm a monster," Cerise snorted with a frown. "And honestly... I can't blame them. I might as well be. I'm the same age as they are, and yet, I was so freely used as a pawn by somebody like that. King Surion isn't ever the sort of person I would have wanted to work under, but it was that or suffer the consequences of disobedience."</p><p>"Running from Igni is not a wise thing to do, and we're only getting away from it now because of the chaos spreading back there," December agreed with a nod. "It's not something we were able to chance until now, but... I'm glad that we did. We're still together, and we're going to get back together with Eros and Arisu soon too."</p><p>"All of our reasons for joining the Alight Five are complicated," Cerise murmured. "It's far more than I could ever hope to explain to those girls, and yet... I guess I want to try. I don't want them to think of me as someone too far gone at such a young age. I've been forged into an emotionless soldier all my life, but I've had enough of that mentality. I want to change. I need to change."</p><p>"We're going to get through this together," December told Cerise gently. "We've gone through a lot up to this point, yes, but we're still going to find a way to handle this. That much I can promise you."</p><p>Cerise nodded slowly, unsure of if she was able to believe her words quite yet. She knew that she would likely grow into them regardless of if she internalized them immediately. For the time being though, all she could think about was how terrible she felt when her mind was cast over to the girls from Alitia and Sacred Heart. She wanted to find a way to apologize to them for all that had happened, but would they even want to listen to her? She wouldn't be able to blame them if they declined her request. She would have done the same, in all honesty. </p><p>The rest of the hour passed in numb silence, and Cerise found herself going to sleep far earlier than anticipated alongside December. The room fell dark, and Cerise could have sworn she saw the moon mocking her from afar. How the hell were the others supposed to forgive her for everything when she was still holding proof of her former allegiance to Igni? Damn her Moonlight Blessing to hell and back. Cerise pulled the covers around her a bit tighter and fell into an upset slumber, wishing that she could break free of the monstrous mold she had become somewhere along the way. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>High key I love this update oop</p><p>-Digital</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0027"><h2>27. XXVII: Consequences of War</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Luce and the Second Camaraderie discuss their previous fights as Zylphia ponders what is to come.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Eros was far from being happy as he prowled the castle with anger burning fiercely in his eyes. Anyone who he happened to pass by gave him a wide berth, afraid of what would happen if they poked at his growing bubble of rage. Eros looked as if he was on the verge of exploding, and not even Arisu could calm him down as they chased him throughout Igni's palace. They had to weave in and out of the other people in the building, which was far harder for them than they had been expecting in the beginning, while trying to catch up with and calm down Eros. </p><p>Arisu finally came to a stop when Eros was finished running around. Both of them were standing near Faerner, who had taken to crossing his arms and standing alone in a darkened hallway. He wasn't even bothering to take extra time to recover from the fight that they had gotten away from, instead minding his own business in complete silence. When he realized Eros and Arisu had arrived, Faerner cast them a sideways glance, but he still didn't say anything. </p><p>"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Eros shouted, slamming his fist into the nearby wall. Arisu flinched when they swore they saw the room begin to shake. </p><p>"What are you on about?" Faerner questioned, uncaring and apathetic as could be. He looked to both of the generals with a sneer on his face, and both Eros and Arisu wanted to rip that stupid smile from his face and beat him with it. </p><p>"You forced us away from the battlefield! What was your plan?! I can't stand you!" Eros continued yelling, his rage only mounting with each passing word. </p><p>Faerner's silence in response was disturbing, and he took a small step closer to Eros before shaking his head. "I don't understand why you're so worked up... Besides, you had best not take that tone with me unless you want to face serious consequences. After all, we know what happens to people like you around here. It would be for the best if you rolled over and stayed silent like you should have done from the start," he told Eros softly. "Unless you want the truth to be revealed to every person in this palace... Including the king."</p><p>Arisu couldn't help but wonder if either of the men realized they were there. It wasn't as if they were trying to hide their presence, but it seemed to be a private affair between Eros and Faerner, something far too important for them to discuss later. They glanced back and forth between the two with a frown plastered on their features. </p><p>Eros fell quiet at Faerner's words, his hands clenching so tightly into fists that they shook with monumental force. Faerner sent him a devilish smirk before starting to walk away. "That's what I thought," Faerner whispered, leaning in next to Eros' ear to say the words. He disappeared around the corner soon afterwards, and Eros was still as a statue after he left, not bothering to pursue him. </p><p>"What's going on?" Arisu questioned. Eros' anger wasn't lessening in the slightest, but they couldn't stand there in all-consuming curiosity forever, and the madder Eros got, the more they wanted to understand the situation. </p><p>Eros didn't respond, instead snarling under his breath and dashing off in the direction he and Arisu had come from. Arisu watched him go, knowing that there wasn't going to be any reasoning with him as long as he was in such a poor mood. He vanished around the corner, and Arisu's head hung low. They didn't know what in the world was going on, but they didn't like all of the sudden tension. They wished they had been given the chance to leave the way Cerise had. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>When Luce and Sylvia got back to their room, they were met with pure, unfiltered chaos. </p><p>Tanith was in the bathroom, and the door was wide open, offering full view of the air enchantress. She was sitting in a basic chair with her head tilted backwards over the sink as Sophia picked through it with a comb. Water ran from the faucet to eliminate the remainder of the Shadow sludge from Tanith's lengthy hair. Tanith flinched every once in a while, but she remained silent and still. </p><p>The rest of the group seemed to have already gone through this process. Carys had her hair wrapped into a towel, and Helena had draped a piece of fabric over the back of the couch to keep the furniture from getting too wet. At first, it didn't even seem like the rest of the group had noticed that Luce and Sylvia were there. </p><p>Iris was the first one to break the silence. She looked up from her phone with a smile. "Hey, you two!" she exclaimed. "I'm glad to see that you're alright. We were all getting a bit worried after you took so long getting back here... Headmistress Satim wants everyone to stay on campus though, so we didn't have the power to go out and find you ourselves."</p><p>"Is something wrong?" Sophia questioned. She had looked up from Tanith's soaking hair to watch Luce and Sylvia carefully. Both of them were carrying somber expressions, something that was bound to be caught under Sophia's watchful, empathetic eye. </p><p>Luce hesitated, looking over to Sylvia silently. The other girl nodded and nudged at her side gently. Luce sighed and dropped her gaze to the floor. "Can... Can we talk?" Luce questioned. </p><p>S.M. looked up from her phone, her features going eerily blank. The heaviness of Luce's voice was enough to earn the attention of the rest of the group. Sophia turned off the sink as Tanith sat up, wringing out her hair with her hands. Sophia and Tanith returned to the main room before sitting on the couch, taking up half of the remaining space. </p><p>"Go ahead," Helena eventually told them, a kind smile on her face. She moved to the side, offering Sylvia and Luce a place to sit. The two girls nodded their thanks to her before taking a seat beside Helena. </p><p>"Listen, I... I've been thinking a lot about the Thanatos War," Luce admitted. "And I feel like we should all talk about what happened."</p><p>"We beat Iago. That's what happened," Carys remarked, her voice surprisingly pointed. There was an underlying sense of fear to her words, but nobody dared to comment on it. </p><p>"But we all struggled to do so," Luce murmured. "We were fighting in a war at such a young age. We shouldn't have been forced to do something like that, and yet... We were pulled into it without any other options. I think... I think that deserves some discussion."</p><p>At first, nobody dared to say anything, letting Luce's words simply hang in the air for what felt like a thousand years. Sylvia was the one to cut through the silence. "I still dream about it sometimes," she admitted softly. "Iago, I mean. I've had to deal with what he did to my family for my entire life. The war was the closest he ever got to completely winning, and... Even if I know that we won, I guess I'm still scared of him sometimes. He's gone, and I know that he won't be coming back, but... It's a lot to deal with."</p><p>"I don't like fighting Shadows," Sophia confessed carefully. "I was here while most of you were out trying to find him during the war. There were so many people hurt in that short period of time because of the Shadows. There's nothing that we can do that will make people stop summoning Shadows, but... Fighting against them is sickening to me."</p><p>"Sometimes, I guess it's easy to forget how young we are," Tanith murmured. "I mean, Cessair is still sixteen. S.M. is eighteen, but that's still too young to have to deal with all of this. On top of that, we need to worry about the army of Igni doing something. They're clearly not above using underhanded tactics to get everything to work out."</p><p>"Even with three members of the Alight Five on our side now, that doesn't change the fact that the king is going to want to start a war if things get too much worse," S.M. sighed. "It's not like Millennia has much of an army. People don't generally rush into battle around here like they do on Igni."</p><p>"Their militarism would absolutely wipe us out if actual soldiers got involved," Carys sighed. "In a way, we're lucky that we've only had to fight Shadows leading up to this point, but we never know when that's going to change, and if it does, we're not going to be in a good position."</p><p>"That's what bothers me most about all of this," Luce said with a deep frown. "We're still teenagers, and we just finished dealing with the Thanatos War. Arguably, Millennia still hasn't recovered, and that sort of collective trauma is going to be around for ages. Now, Igni is trying to tip us over into another war, and it's sickening to me. How can someone be so haphazard with violence?"</p><p>"Sometimes, fighting is necessary," Iris declared, leaning her head back against the couch. "I feel like we all learned that a long time ago. Still, I feel like going off to war this often is crossing a line... What do they expect a bunch of teenagers to do? We ended the Thanatos War, but at what cost? There were so many other people who wound up fighting with us, and they're all suffering just the same."</p><p>"We're going to have to find a way to get through all of this together," Sylvia announced. "We've come this far, and I'm not about to give up now. We're all struggling, but that doesn't mean that we have to deal with everything on our own. I wanted so badly to hide my problems with Iago and pretend they didn't exist until I died because of his damn curse. If I hadn't told you guys about how much I was hurting, nothing would have changed, and I probably wouldn't even be here right now."</p><p>"You're right," Tanith nodded. "We aren't alone in fighting this battle, and we should stop acting as if we can't discuss the war. We all suffered a lot for that victory, and we aren't the only ones. People want to get back to normal life more than anything right now, but that doesn't mean that we should completely ignore the past. Too much has happened for us to simply move on without a moment of hesitation."</p><p>"We're going to find a way to win this conflict's fight too," Carys told the group. "We've got each other to hang onto, and that's got to count for something. We've come this far, and we're going to keep fighting until the bitter end. If Igni wants to start a war, then we're going to have to go back out and try to bring it all to a conclusion. That's what we did last time, and we're going to do it again."</p><p>"But this time, we won't make the mistake of ignoring the previous conflict that hurt us so much," Iris agreed with a light smile. "I'm sure that Anneliese, Nebula, and Cessair feel the same way. They were involved with everything just the way that we were, and I bet that this is hurting them too. They're great people, and we've got their backs too."</p><p>"I love the little support system that we've built up here," Helena admitted. "I never thought that I would have a group like this to share everything with, but... I do, and it's absolutely amazing. Thanks for being here, everyone. I know that times are hard right now, and I don't know if there's anything I can do to make things easier at the moment, but... We're powering through together, and I'm incredibly thankful to have you all in my life. I don't think I could ever say that enough."</p><p>The first person to move was Iris, who threw an arm around Helena's shoulders and pulled her in tight. Helena was shocked at first, unmoving as she stared at Iris, before returning the gesture. The rest of the group slowly piled into the embrace, creating a tangled mess of limbs and wet hair on top of the apartment's couch. Still, none of them could have cared in the slightest, too happy to know that they had the rest of the group to rely on. </p><p>Luce was the first one to pull away, a small smile on her face. "Thanks for all of this, guys," she murmured. She shared a brief glance with Sylvia, who gave her a thumbs-up and a wide grin. Luce looked down at the ground, a grin still tugging at the edges of her lips. She hadn't been planning on talking to the rest of the group about all that had happened, but now that she had, she felt better than she had in a long time. </p><p>Sylvia spoke next as the embrace slowly began to fall apart. "We're people first and soldiers second," she announced, seemingly knowing exactly what Luce needed to hear. "We were hurt during the Thanatos War, and it's okay to admit that. We can move to the future despite all that happened through. We're strong people, and we don't have to deal with what happened alone. Carrying our problems on our own isn't going to help anyone, after all."</p><p>"I'm glad we were able to have this conversation," Sophia confessed with a wide smile. "I know that we all want things to go back to normal, but that's no reason to ignore the past so blatantly. We were burned out by what happened at the start of the semester, so it's understandable why we didn't want to discuss it, but... Some more time has passed now."</p><p>"I don't think that we'll ever get far enough away from the war in terms of time passing, but this is still a start. This is an important point for us to understand that we don't have to deal with this struggle alone," S.M. remarked, crossing her arms with a light smile playing at her lips. "And if anything does happen involving Igni... We're going to be there for each other each step of the way. We've been through a lot together, and I'm sure that we'll be able to deal with this sort of thing without any issues of repression like this."</p><p>"I don't know what's coming in the future," Luce began, taking in a slow, measured breath, before continuing. "But I do know that I'm happy to be with you seven. The same applies to the other three. No matter what happens next, we're going to be there for each other, and that's what we all need right now. Igni had best not mess with us, because if they do... They aren't going to know what they're signing up for."</p><p>~~~~~</p><p>To put it simply, the government system of Millennia was complicated. </p><p>There was no sense of central government to rule over all of the people for the most part. A council had existed for quite some time consisting of figures who met to discuss important matters that needed to be taken care of immediately, but it wasn't often that this group came together. </p><p>Millennia's voting system was run through magic, and direct democracy allowed each person to vote explicitly on issues that had an impact on their lives. The system was made to be against any form of fraud or cheating, and it had worked perfectly for countless years. Millennia didn't get involved with conflict often for the most part, meaning there wasn't much of a point for the council to meet. </p><p>All of that changed after the second attack on Igni. </p><p>People were starting to feel the fear of Igni's various raids. Back when the Thanatos War was going on, there wasn't time to declare war against Iago Thanatos. The fighting came and went before the council could get together and decide what the planet's next move was going to be. He was killed within a week of the fighting starting, and there wasn't anyone to follow up on his promises of destruction. </p><p>When Iago was causing issues beforehand, it was hardly seen as a large enough issue to involve the council at all. A few students from Alitia being attacked didn't merit a declaration of war, and there wouldn't have been anything for the planet to fight back against anyways. Iago hid himself for months while lashing out, and without knowledge of his identity, taking him to the battlefield was impossible. </p><p>The fights against Igni were creating a different situation entirely, to say the least. Repeated invasions by high-ranking government figures from Igni had certainly caught the attention of the council. There were many people concerned about their safety both in the area of Millennium City and outside of its borders. The worries were growing too large to be ignored, and it was only a matter of time before something began to fall apart. </p><p>The fights against the Alight Five had evolved into invasions executed by Shadows, which was a large jump in severity, and that was putting it lightly. Too many people were being put in danger, and King Surion wasn't listening in the slightest to anyone who was trying to bargain for peace. He had set his sights on an outcome, and he wasn't going to be backing down until well after he had found a way to follow through. </p><p>Peace was no longer an option, and it was this fact that annoyed Zylphia the most. </p><p>She had just arrived back at Alitia when she walked into her office with a heavy sigh. She and Jin had spent quite some time at Angelwood cleaning up, and it was weighing on her far more than she would have liked it to. She had received a text from Tanith to say that she and the rest of the girls were alright, so Zylphia felt safe taking a small break before heading out to see her daughter. </p><p>Zylphia had started combing through the messages she had received during the fight. There were a lot of them, and she knew that reading all the texts was going to take quite some time. She scanned over the list until her gaze found something interesting. Her eyes narrowed, and she clicked on the message to start reading it in full. </p><p>If Zylphia didn't already have a headache by this point in time, she surely would have gained one upon reading what the message had to say. Her forehead fell into one of her hands, and a sigh pushed its way through her lips once again. She knew that it was real, but she didn't want to believe it in the slightest. </p><p>Night had fallen, and all she wanted to do was sleep, but that was no longer an option. Even if she had wanted to rest, it wasn't going to be happening as long as she knew what the message said. </p><p>The Millennium Council was going to be meeting soon, and they were requesting the presence of all the head teachers to figure out the next move for the planet. War was waiting on the horizon, and chances were Millennia was going to need to put together an army before Igni's forces could arrive. </p><p>Zylphia was absolutely sick of war. She had hated it during the days of the War of Starlight when she was still young, barely understanding of the world yet forced to deal with its worst acts of brutality. She had still hated it when the Thanatos War began the previous semester, and the idea of starting the cycle over yet again made her feel sick. </p><p>She knew that it was inevitable. Igni leading raids on Igni was far larger than Iago had been. They had an enemy in sight, and it wasn't as if Millennia was going to let this foe go. Surion was aiming to wipe out all of Millennia if it would feed his goals, and fighting would be the only way to keep him from killing too many civilians to count. Even so, Zylphia did not want to rush back into fighting so soon. </p><p>There wasn't a way for her to avoid meeting with the Millennium Council though. Even if she hated the idea of going to war, she was going to have to go to the meeting hall and at least put in an appearance. As much as Zylphia hated to admit it, mobilizing was the only way for Surion's bloody charge to be brought to a close. Someone was going to have to storm Igni and fix things. </p><p>She just wished the task didn't fall to her and those she cared for with her life. </p><p>Zylphia couldn't bring herself to rise from her chair after reading the message. She stared at the screen blankly, her stomach twisting into knots that only grew in intensity with each passing second. Her eyes slipped closed. The other head teachers had likely received the same message, and they were going to have to make an appearance at the meeting too. At least she wasn't going to be heading in on her own. It was a small blessing, but Zylphia was going to have to cling to anything that she could get. </p><p>Zylphia's enmity for Surion only grew stronger the longer she sat at her desk, a frown on her face. She hated that man for bringing so much danger to Millennia for seemingly no reason. If he really wanted to know the truth behind Octavia's death, he wouldn't have jumped immediately into war. No, it went far deeper than that, and Zylphia was fully aware. Surion didn't care much about Octavia; he just wanted a reason to punish another one of his relatives, and S.M. was the victim. </p><p>There was no way to stop Surion from starting the war even if S.M. was removed from Alitia and taken to another planet as far from Millennia as possible. He would see the people of Millennia as allies of a criminal he didn't have proper evidence against, and he would start the charge without thinking it over. He wasn't going to stop and consider any other options. All he wanted to do was kill, and only fighting back would stop him. </p><p>Zylphia slid her glasses off and let them fall onto the desk. She cupped at her face with her hands, trying to keep the tears from starting to flow. Zylphia had gotten so used to the years of peace brought on after she became the head teacher of Alitia. Each year was much the same as the last, but there was enough spice to keep life from growing too monotonous. Zylphia was a planner by nature, and the routine gave her something to push through. She was happy with it. </p><p>The past few months had disturbed all of that, and Zylphia couldn't help but want to curl up in a ball and hide against the rest of the world. The War of Starlight had done enough damage to her mental state, and it was all starting over from the beginning. There was nothing she could do to stop it. No magical phrase existed to keep violence from spilling over into bloodshed without end. Surion was a monster, and he intended to show everyone such without a moment of hesitation. </p><p>Zylphia's fingers wove around to the back of her neck after she pulled her hands from her face. She managed to unclasp her necklace before pulling it to rest in front of her eyes. Eight pearls looked back at her, and she couldn't help but smile down at them. They were all colored differently, markings to match the Sealed marks of her comrades from the War of Starlight. </p><p>On the far left, purple represented Fromir. Next to purple was white, Altina's color. Afterwards was pink, which matched Jin. Orange followed the pink to represent Cryon. Blue sat next to orange, a reminder of Dawn. Zylphia's color, turquoise, rested to the right of Dawn's pearl. Red came next as Minerva's symbol, and gold was the final in the row to represent Caius. </p><p>The necklace had been a gift to Zylphia on her first birthday after the War of Starlight. Jin had given it to her while she was miserable missing Dawn. Zylphia had been wearing it nearly daily ever since, touching it whenever she needed a reminder of the people she cared for so dearly. </p><p>Zylphia's gaze lingered on Dawn's pearl, and another tear slid down her cheeks. She missed Dawn more than she would ever be able to say, and she couldn't help but long for her old friend to come back. Zylphia still remembered the days when they were roommates at Alitia, and Dawn took a shine to her immediately despite how much Zylphia avoided others. For three years, they had remained at one another's side, clinging to the other's hand in the face of brutal destiny. </p><p>Zylphia had been more than happy to march off to war alongside Dawn. She had cared so much for the Keeper of Starlight, beyond overjoyed to have a companion after years spent alone. Dawn was like a sister to her, keeping Zylphia grounded through all difficult times. They had been confidants and best friends, and Zylphia would have done anything for Dawn just as she would have for the rest of the team. </p><p>Dawn's disappearance hurt a lot more than Zylphia could have anticipated. After years of shoving her emotions into a bottle at the back of her mind, she came to feel how terrible heartbreak could be. Zylphia had experienced grief before, but the uncertainty of not knowing what had happened to Dawn was somehow even worse. There was no closure. Her sister in spirit had gone missing after they had grown to be so close, and it snapped her in half. </p><p>Cryon vanishing as well certainly didn't help the situation. Zylphia was glad when she crossed paths with him again, and shock entered her mind when she saw that he had a daughter. Luce looked just like him, but Zylphia wasn't fooled at all. Cryon had only ever loved one person, and Dawn was not going to be replaced so easily. She knew that it was impossible, but it wouldn't be the first time that their group had pulled off the impossible. </p><p>Luce and Cryon surfacing gave Zylphia hope that perhaps Dawn was out there somewhere, but neither of them knew what had happened to her. Dawn had vanished a few years after Luce's birth, and nobody had any ideas as to where she could have disappeared to. Zylphia had comforted herself, albeit barely, with the knowledge that Dawn was with Cryon for years, but she no longer had that luxury. </p><p>Zylphia didn't know exactly why Dawn had left, but she was sure of one thing. Dawn's eyes had looked so glazed and haunted at the end of the war. She could barely stand to look at herself in the mirror, but she still attempted to put on a happy face for the sake of her companions. No matter how hard Dawn tried to hide it, Zylphia could see that she was hurting though. No matter how many times Zylphia tried to reach out, Dawn never bothered to say what was on her mind. </p><p>And then she was gone. </p><p>Zylphia hadn't been able to prepare for the Thanatos War. Everything happened too quickly, and she had duties to attend to before she could afford to be distracted. In a way, that had been a blessing in disguise, keeping Zylphia from imagining all the gruesome ways that she could lose the remaining people she cared for. She clung to the remnants of the Starlight Camaraderie fiercely, trying to hold together a group of broken, war-torn misfits who had lost their leader to the aftermath of combat. She couldn't lose them too. Not after what happened with Dawn. </p><p>Knowing what was to come but not being able to stop it made Zylphia feel as if the world was beginning to crumble. She continued staring at the pearl necklace as she began to cry openly, understanding that there was no way for her to stop herself. Sobs pushed free from her lungs, but she didn't try to stifle them. Damn it, she was scared. She had been through this circle before, pressed far too young into the mold of soldier, and she wasn't about to watch what little she had left fall apart until there was nothing left. </p><p>Above all else, Zylphia was afraid of losing others. She hadn't reached out emotionally for most of her life to avoid the pain when they inevitably left. There was no one for her to cling to until she met Dawn, and after she disappeared, Zylphia had been left shattered, too afraid to find that she had emotion in case it drove others away. She couldn't see anyone else disappear after all she had endured. It would be too much. </p><p>It was exactly why Zylphia had taken so long to confirm her relationship with Jin. She had been scared of admitting weakness to him, afraid of losing him, so she deprived herself of having companionship to begin with. The Starlight Camaraderie only saw so much of her, and she shoved the rest of that instability aside in hopes that it would disappear. Still, it never did, and Zylphia hated it. </p><p>Zylphia couldn't stop crying as soon as she had started. Nobody was around to see her, and she was thankful for such. She didn't want to explain that she was tired of losing people, afraid of connecting with others, and terrified of the battle that lingered on the horizon. </p><p>Such were the consequences of war, and she would never be able to escape them. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I'm so sorry for hurting you Zylphia</p><p>-Digital</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0028"><h2>28. XXVIII: An Unwanted Respite</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>As break arrives, Luce returns to Amity. Meanwhile, Fromir grapples with the truth of the coming battles.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When break arrived for the students of Alitia, it came without a grand announcement. Exhaustion permeated every aspect of life, and the Millennium Six freed all of its students early for the break at the halfway point of the semester. It was too hard to focus during class for teachers and students alike, and the head teachers were being dragged away from their schools to the meeting about what to do with Igni's recent invasions. </p><p>Luce packed everything together unceremoniously. The rest of her roommates followed suit, and even those who weren't leaving for break (a group consisting of Sophia, S.M., Helena, and Tanith), took this as a chance to clean up the area. Luce managed to close her suitcase with some brute force, and she let out a sigh before closing her eyes and trying not to think about what was happening in the world. </p><p>It was early morning when they all woke up, and teachers were out in the courtyard helping students to leave Alitia to head home for break. Portals were opened and closed in a dreary cycle. None of the eight had departed quite yet, and Luce was trying to enjoy her last few moments with the group for the time being. Still, her early morning sleepiness made it hard for her to feel anything but numbness. </p><p>"There's something happening soon," Tanith declared, breaking through the silence of the room. Eyes shifted to watch her in curiosity, and Tanith shook her head in disapproval. "You aren't going to want to hear about this, but... People are wanting to go to war with Igni."</p><p>"You can't be serious," Sophia breathed with wide, fearful eyes. "What's going to happen if we go to war? Millennia doesn't exactly have an army standing on hand to march into battle against Igni so suddenly."</p><p>"I'm not sure," Tanith admitted. "But I can say that it wouldn't be good. Zylphia and Jin told me about it. There are a bunch of people meeting to figure out what the next step is going to be. That's why break is starting a few days early. Nobody is able to concentrate with all of this uncertainty. For the first time since the War of Starlight, Millennia is actually going to be making a declaration for combat."</p><p>"Why is this happening?" Carys despaired, sitting down on the couch with a heavy frown. "I don't think that we deserve to deal with all of this on top of everything else, and yet, here we are."</p><p>"Unlike last time, there's a lot for us to deal with regarding interplanetary politics," Tanith explained. "There wasn't a solid person to declare war against last time since Iago kept himself hidden, but that's different now. King Surion is clearly trying to pull Millennia into combat, so we actually have a target for fighting. I don't know how this is going to end, but chances are that we're going to have another war on our hands."</p><p>Nobody knew what to say to Tanith's words. The room felt suppressive in its silence, and Luce looked down at the floor. Talking about everything that had taken place regarding the rest of the team had made her feel much better, but the idea of being launched into combat all over again made her feel sick. Luce knew that this was always a possibility, but she didn't want to believe it until there was an actual declaration. All of a sudden, the truth was rushing up to slap her in the face, and she couldn't escape it this way. </p><p>"We're going to have to find a way to get out of this," S.M. murmured. "I don't think that proving I wasn't involved with Octavia's death is going to help at this point. What he wants right now is bloodshed, and there's not going to be a way for us to stop that. We're going to have to grin and bear it by marching off to battle no matter how much we hate the concept."</p><p>"I feel like we should try and do something, but I don't know if there's anything that would work," Helena sighed. "I don't want to deal with fighting all over again, but... If he really wants to take us to war, we aren't going to be able to stop him. King Surion is a disgusting man, and if he really wants to fight, then... We aren't going to have a choice."</p><p>"We're too young for this," whispered Sophia. "We're still teenagers, and we aren't even being given the chance to enjoy ourselves before everything is pressed upon us this way. I know that saying something like that isn't going to keep us from being forced into battle, but... It bothers me. Everyone else is just as young as we are, and they're being dragged into this just the same."</p><p>"They're priming a generation of trauma," Iris remarked. "Think about all the people who suffered under the war against Iago. That number of victims is only going to rise in the future if this war winds up starting like we think it's going to. I don't know if we're going to be able to fight against those consequences..."</p><p>"We shouldn't have to be soldiers though," Luce huffed. "I guess that we're just going to have to deal with it and go marching off to battle all over again. Believe me, I hate this idea more than I could ever hope to properly express, but... What options do we have?"</p><p>"The war might not wind up being announced though," Sylvia pointed out. "Tanith just said that there's a possibility this is going to happen, and there isn't any certainty quite yet. Maybe we'll wind up getting lucky enough for Surion to pull back and stop trying to goad us into conflict. That's what I'm hoping for anyways. Going on break is only going to stress me out more if I know that there's a possibility we'll be coming back to class to prepare for something like this."</p><p>"He isn't going to back down," S.M. said firmly. "I've known that man all my life, and he isn't going to stand down from a fight of this magnitude. He has too much of an ego to even think of doing so."</p><p>"I know," Sylvia murmured. She didn't say anything further on the matter, but she didn't need to speak either. The rest of the group felt the same, praying that perhaps things wound up turning out for the better despite how slim the chances were. No matter how much they wanted to run from it, war was coming soon, steadily approaching them, and there was no way for them to escape it. </p><p>One by one, Carys, Iris, Sylvia, and Luce walked from the room to head back to their respective home planets. The other four girls waved before the door was shut, and Luce let out a sigh once she was alone in the hallway. The other three girls had already started for the courtyard, leaving Luce to her thoughts. </p><p>She didn't want to think about what was bound to come next, and her stomach knotted firmly at her core. Luce slowly took in a deep breath before releasing it, praying that perhaps everything would be different when she opened her eyes again. However, when her eyelids subsided, she was met with harsh reality all over again, and Luce could do nothing but walk towards the courtyard and fear the inevitability of conflict that waited in her future. There was no way to run, so all she could do was face it. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Fromir didn't want to get out of bed that morning, but he knew that he had no other options. </p><p>The students of Sierra were waiting for him to cast portal spells to allow them to go back home. He had woken up early and trudged out to the courtyard despite how heavy his entire body felt. It was as if the world itself was pressing weight against every inch of him, and Fromir just wanted to collapse into the grass and wait until he was feeling strong enough to get to his feet again. Part of him wondered if he ever would feel strong enough. </p><p>Still, he managed to make his way out to the courtyard to aid his students before shuffling back to his room. Fromir practically crumpled onto his bed, his body folding into a small ball which his spine facing the door. He closed his eyes and waited for sleep to claim him. He didn't want to deal with the rest of the world, and the only relief he could think of was in sleep, so he allowed it to overtake him. </p><p>Fromir hadn't taken the news of another war starting soon well. Zylphia had asked for the members of the Starlight Camaraderie to meet up and talk about what was going on, and the rest of the group had been happy to follow her suggestion. Still, the meeting had been tense and unsettling, and Fromir felt like he was going to be sick the whole way through. </p><p>Fromir was the youngest member of the group by a few years. Minerva was the closest one in age to him, but even she had a strong year on him. She had enrolled a year early at the Millennium Six, putting her as a third-year with the rest of the party while Fromir was a freshman. He had met the team by chance, and he wound up being the baby they longed to defend from the start. In a group of broken misfits, he was the common ground, a shaky smile in the face of uncertainty. Dawn and Jin would do anything for him, and they expressed such vocally. The others were far more reserved about their affection, but Fromir knew that they cared deep down. </p><p>Still, no amount of care could have eased him into the War of Starlight. Fromir was used to harsh realities, no stranger to anger and anguish, but war was something different completely. He had been younger than the rest, and if they were too small to deal with the force of Ragnor's brutality, Fromir deserved it even less. Dawn had often apologized to him specifically for dragging him into the battle, but he shrugged it off, saying that he was happy to stand by his friends. He was happy, but he wished that it didn't have to end the way that it did. He was too young for war no matter how he tried to look at the situation. </p><p>Fromir knew just as well as the rest of the group that suffering waited in the future. He didn't want to face it though. He didn't have a choice, but if he did, Fromir would have chosen to lock himself away in his room while waiting for an end to the conflict. All he could do was sleep and pray that something changed in the few hours slumber had him in its clutches, but he knew it wasn't that easy. </p><p>It hadn't been that easy when Ragnor attacked Dawn and declared that the Church of Moonlight would exterminate Starlight's Keeper and her followers. It hadn't been easy when Iago lived in the halls of Sierra and mocked everyone from the shadows that he had taken to calling his domain. It wasn't going to be easy as he waited for the king of Igni to announce that Millennia wasn't going to be able to fight back against him without going to war. </p><p>Surion was a stubborn man, and Fromir couldn't escape that. He was flighty and afraid, left scarred by expectation from such a young age. His shoulders had collapsed under the weight of his father's dreams for him, and that was before the battlefield became his home. No matter how strong he tried to act for Nebula or anyone else, he was weak deep down, and he was fully aware of it. He couldn't carry the hope of the universe alone, and he couldn't keep pretending that was in his power. </p><p>Fromir wasn't sure when he fell asleep, but he knew that he woke up when someone knocked against his door. Years of fear had driven Fromir to flinch at even the smallest of noises, and the War of Starlight had only made such worse. He got to his feet slowly and shuffled over to the door, but he couldn't fully straighten himself out. His posture looked as if his ribcage had been pulled from his chest, and he seemed like an empty husk of himself. Still, Fromir couldn't bring himself to change such an image, and his eyes went blurry as tears he hadn't asked for appeared in his eyes. </p><p>When Fromir opened the door, he was met with the grinning face of Leviathan. Fromir stared at Leviathan blankly at first before managing to push a smile on his face, but even raising the corners of his mouth was too much for him to manage without feeling awful. Fromir parted his lips to speak, but he found that the syllables didn't want to form, and all he could do was stand there while waiting for Leviathan to do something. </p><p>Luckily, Leviathan was more than happy to fill the silence, and a grin was on his face immediately. "Hey, Fromi!" Leviathan exclaimed, and his voice pierced Fromir's ears harshly. The only thing Fromir could bring himself to think about was Leviathan's use of the nickname, but he couldn't find a meaning for it in his drowsiness. </p><p>"What is it?" Fromir questioned, and his heart rate began to pick up. Had something gone wrong? Was someone suffering on campus? Fromir didn't feel like he was able to handle something like that, but he was going to have to pull himself together enough to at least to make an attempt. Others were counting on him to try that much. </p><p>"I just wanted to see how you were doing," Leviathan replied with a shrug. His gaze asked if he could come in, and Fromir allowed the other man to slip in through the crack of the door before shutting it after they were both inside. </p><p>"I'm fine," Fromir told Leviathan out of instinctive habit. He was no stranger to lying, forced to seem as if his life wasn't falling apart in the name of people who didn't care enough to dig any deeper. Besides, Fromir didn't want to cause problems, and he wasn't about to upset Leviathan by telling the truth. Leviathan was his guest, and Fromir had to make sure that he felt safe no matter how much he felt as if the world was falling apart at the seams around him. </p><p>Still, it seemed that he hadn't lied well enough. Fromir blamed his exhaustion as Leviathan's smile slipped into something serious that sent a shiver up Fromir's spine. He tried to keep his gaze locked with Leviathan's, but such was far easier said than done. Leviathan shifted uncomfortably under Fromir's eyes before he broke off the glance to stare at the floor. Even so, he could feel Leviathan's piercing gaze on him, unmoving and determined. </p><p>"You don't need to lie to me, you know," Leviathan said. He sat down on Fromir's bed and gestured for the room's owner to do the same. Fromir tried to hide his relief at being allowed to sit down, and he watched Leviathan carefully. </p><p>"I'm not lying," Fromir tried to insist, but he knew that he was putting up a weak defense. He couldn't even stomach pressing a smile on his face. Leviathan would see right through it no matter how hard he tried, and Fromir couldn't help but sigh internally at how Leviathan had wound up with Minerva's perceptiveness of all things. As different as the pair was, they were similar in the worst ways. </p><p>Leviathan reached his hand out and grasped for Fromir's fingers. Much to his own surprise, Fromir didn't pull away. Instead, he allowed himself to close his eyes as Leviathan spoke in response. "It's going to be okay," Leviathan told him. "I know that you're stressed about what's to come, but you don't have to try and keep it all bottled up. Minerva told me about it, and I'm here to help you out."</p><p>Fromir attempted to remind Leviathan that he had other work to be taking care of while he was on Millennia, but he was interrupted when Leviathan pressed a finger against his lips and continued to speak. "I'm here for you, Fromir," Leviathan assured him. "We never got the chance to go out on that date with everything that's been going on, and I think that you could really use that as an opportunity to calm down. You're freaking out, and I can tell. I'll do what I can to help."</p><p>In the back of his mind, Fromir wondered what he did to deserve having someone so kind in his life. He wanted to deny Leviathan's words, but he couldn't bring himself to. Instead, all Fromir could do was nod, looking down to the place where Leviathan's hand met his. Perhaps it was to avoid Leviathan's inquisitive eyes. Perhaps it was because Fromir was enjoying the touch far more than he had any right to. </p><p>Leviathan only got to his feet when he was sure that Fromir was ready to move, and he guided the other man towards the door. Fromir followed after him, hating how unsteady he was on his feet. It was midday by that point, but it still felt as if Fromir had just awoken, left in the bitter embrace of morning after a night of restless sleep. Still, he managed to make his way outside with Leviathan's assistance, and when Leviathan started to lead him away from the campus of Sierra and towards their supposed date, Fromir simply let it happen. Every once in a while, he deserved something nice no matter how much his mind screamed to him that such wasn't true, and he was willing to let Leviathan treat him for the first time in ages. </p><p>Fromir would never admit how much fun he had that day, but he hadn't smiled so much in what felt like months. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Luce stepped out of the portal and was immediately greeted by harsh morning sun from Amity. She cringed at the flood of light until her vision adjusted, and then she started walking away from the place where she had been dropped off by Michaela's portal. Cryon's mercenary fort wasn't far from where she had wound up, and she was looking forward to spending time away from Alitia for a brief period of time. </p><p>Luce knew that she needed the break from all that had been going on as of late, and she wanted to embrace it to the best of her ability, but she knew that it wasn't going to be that easy. As much as she appreciated Tanith's honesty, she couldn't get her mind off what the other girl had said. Millennia was truly preparing to go to war, and Luce was going to have to follow the planet off to battle. Turning her back on the planet was an unfathomable idea to her, and she wasn't about to do something that cruel. </p><p>Luce was sure that she would have hated it far more if Tanith hadn't told the group anything and left them hanging in suspense throughout all of their sudden break. Still, she wished that the issues with Igni weren't taking place at all. After all, how could she be expected to find a way through the problems with Millennia and Igni at such a young age? </p><p>Surion never left Luce's mind as she made her way towards the fort. She tried to suppress her bitterness, not wanting to give the rest of the group a poor impression of her on one of her minimal trips back to Amity during the school year. Still, she knew just as well that the rest of the mercenaries knew her perfectly well, and they weren't going to hold this against her if she appeared in a bad mood. Luce figured that they would understand why she was so stressed, but it was still a risk that she didn't want to take. </p><p>Luce arrived at the building before she truly knew what was happening, and her hand raised to knock at the door. She felt dizzy just standing there, and all she wanted to do was collapse and pretend that all of this wasn't happening. Opening up to the rest of the group had made her feel better about all that was taking place around her, but there was only so much that team therapy and bonding could do to stand up against the looming threat of another war. She wished that she had the security that nothing like what had happened with Iago would ever repeat again in her lifetime, but she knew that was a luxury that she simply hadn't been afforded. Who could say if she ever would receive such blessings?</p><p>When the door to the fort opened, Luce was met with a frown at first. Rie looked as if she had just woken up, and her hair was wildly out of place, something Luce never would have expected from someone who took so much time making herself look nice. Rie prepared to snap at whoever had come to the fortress, but when she realized it was Luce, a smile appeared on her face. </p><p>"Hey, Rie," Luce said, immediately feeling relief fill her chest. She hadn't realized how amazing it would be to see the mercenaries again, and even if she couldn't escape her duties to Millennia entirely by coming back home, it was still a start, and she was more than happy to embrace it. </p><p>Rie wrapped an arm around the younger girl's shoulders and guided her into the building. "Sorry about that," Rie apologized. "We've had a few frustrating missions as of late. I wouldn't say that they're the worst ever, but it's still annoying, you know?"</p><p>Luce offered Rie a nod as the witch walked alongside her into the main area of the fortress. Luce glanced around at the mercenaries in the space, and her smile only grew wider as she set her gaze upon Sinin, O'Rourke, Reye, and Lewith. Sinin was reading a book, something Luce wasn't surprised about in the slightest, while O'Rourke sat in place passively. Reye was asleep, curled against an impression in the couch cushions at her side. Luce assumed immediately that Rie had been there for quite some time until she got up to get the door. </p><p>The first person to notice that Rie had returned was Lewith, whose face broke out in a huge smile as they plodded over to Luce. "Hey there, Tiny!" Lewith exclaimed loudly, snapping Reye out of her slumber immediately. Lewith wrapped their arms around Luce and patted at her back, and Luce found herself grinning at Lewith's regular affection. She hadn't realized how much she had been missing that until she got back to Amity. </p><p>"Welcome back, Luce," Sinin said, far more calmly. He shut his book and placed it off to the side before rising to his feet. O'Rourke followed his movements as Reye rubbed at her eyes and stumbled into an upright position. </p><p>Luce exchanged smiles with the remainder of the mercenaries, not getting any closer to them than Lewith had gotten to her. As a whole, Lewith and Lianna were the affectionate ones, though Rie and Reye most certainly could be when they were in the mood for it. Judging by how drowsy both of the witch twins seemed to be, Luce assumed that they were far from being prepared to shower Luce with hugs and kind words dropped between passing remarks of playful sarcasm. She was fine with that, far too happy to be back at home to bother pestering them about it. As much as she had worried about coming back while Igni was trying to start a war, Luce found herself smiling as soon as the mercenaries gathered around her. It was oddly liberating, and part of her didn't want the moment to end. </p><p>Lianna came walking into the room soon after, and she immediately started smiling. "Good morning, Luce," Lianna told her. Immediately, everyone had shifted their focus to Lianna. She was the second-in-command among the mercenaries, only in line to their leader himself. Even if she wasn't responsible for smaller matters in the group, her presence surely would have captured their attention, part of the natural charm that seemed to surround ever aspect of Lianna's life. </p><p>"Hey, Lianna," Luce replied. She managed to pull away from Lewith's grasp to offer Lianna a brief hug, and she found herself flushing as soon as she realized how much she enjoyed the embrace. She hadn't realized how much she missed small pleasures with all that was happening around her. Even the mere idea of human contact made her feel incredible in ways she never could have anticipated. </p><p>Lianna returned the hug, a serene smile on her features. "It's good to see you back. I bet that you're wondering where Cryon is, yes?" she asked. When Luce nodded in response, she continued. "He's out on a mission right now, and I don't know exactly when he'll be back. That's alright though. How about we head to your room and get you unpacked?"</p><p>Luce nodded in response and walked back to the door, realizing that she had unceremoniously dropped her bags onto the ground beside the entrance. She cringed at the recollection before leaning over to pick up all that she had brought back to Amity with her. Lianna followed her before picking up a bag and walking to Luce's room with practiced grace. Luce trailed after her with a weary smile, wishing that she could find a way to forget about Surion for once and enjoy herself. </p><p>As soon as the pair had arrived in Luce's room, Lianna moved for the door. She shut it behind them, and she turned to Luce with a frown. "I can tell something's bothering you," Lianna whispered. "You don't have to hide anything around me, Luce. If there's something on your mind, all you need to do is say so."</p><p>Luce set her bag down on her bed and started unpacking. Her back was to Lianna, and she was oddly thankful for such. She bit down on her lip before she realized what she was doing, willing herself to keep moving to ensure Lianna didn't find her lull in activity strange. "It's not a big deal," Luce insisted. She was meant to be enjoying herself with the rest of the mercenaries over break, not thinking about what was happening back on Millennia. If war was really going to be breaking out all over again, then this trip to Amity was likely going to be her last chance to relax before the dizzying cycle of combat and waiting started all over. </p><p>"If it's bothering you this much, it has to be," Lianna insisted. She came up behind Luce slowly and placed her hands on the younger girl's shoulders, turning Luce around so that their eyes met. "You can talk to me, Luce."</p><p><em>If I talk about it, I acknowledge that it's real. </em>Luce shook her head at Lianna and went back to unpacking. "It's just... A lot is happening right now. That's the only real way that I can talk about this right now," she explained. "I can get into it a bit later. How does that sound?"</p><p>"I know what you're trying to do," Lianna sighed. "You want me to leave the subject alone... If you really don't want to talk about it, then I know that I can't make you, but... If you're really being hurt so much, then you deserve to have that sort of outlet. I know that you went back to school really excited about the semester to come, and... I've heard about what's been happening with the army of Igni."</p><p>Luce's shoulders went tense instinctively, and she wished that she didn't feel so rigid at the mere mention of the other planet. Lianna kept talking, either not realizing that she had struck deep or being aware of it completely and using it as a reason to continue. "I'm not in the same position that you are, so I can offer you an outside perspective if that's really what you need right now. Life is changing a lot, and you deserve to be able to talk about it," Lianna went on. </p><p>For a long time, the two just stood there, and Luce's rhythm of unpacking slowly came to a halt. She stood motionless over her bed with Lianna behind her, unable to find the words to break through the silence. She knew that Lianna was right, but she couldn't bring herself to admit such. If she started talking about it, she had to admit that it was real. Part of Luce wanted to cling to the false hope that Sylvia had created by suggesting that perhaps Millennia wouldn't go off to war, though she was fully aware of how foolish it was. She was going to have to face brutal reality sooner or later. She just wished she could ignore it. </p><p>Luce knew how strange this was for her. She had always taken life by the horns before, driving forward with all the force she had in her being. The Thanatos War had changed her, and she had just found the strength to admit that much. Being forced into another conflict against her will was the last thing she needed, and she suddenly felt far weaker than she ever had before going to Alitia. </p><p>She heard Cryon arrive back at the fort, and Luce turned to the door. "I'm going to see my father," she muttered to Lianna. The heavy tension of the air told Luce that this conversation was not over, but she wished that the world would take away her need to discuss Igni at all. When did her life become such a damn mess? </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I started school today which sucks but hey I got this update done super fast bc of it</p><p>-Digital</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0029"><h2>29. XXIX: Weight of the Past</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Minerva and Leviathan attempt to reconcile after more than two decades apart. Meanwhile, Shiho and Zaeran arrive with intentions of meeting Cerise.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Tanith was surrounded by white in a vast expanse of nothing but light. When her eyes fluttered open, the first thing she was met with was the brutal illumination that flooded her irises harshly. She stumbled backwards upon instinct, wondering if she had always been standing. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>A hand came down upon her shoulders to keep her from losing her balance too much. Tanith slowly turned her head around to see the person behind her. She met eyes of a beautiful violet, and the woman's lengthy honey blonde hair flowed around her in every direction. Even in this space of nothingness, the woman was able to look beautiful and heavenly. Tanith felt inferior when standing directly next to her, a small, shriveled version of the goddess who stood at her side. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"You need to tell them," whispered the woman, her eyes overwhelmed with sympathy as she looked at Tanith. There was clearly far more that she wanted to say, but she remained silent, instead shifting her palm to rest on the space between Tanith's shoulder blades. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Instinctively, Tanith went tense, but she knew that the woman wouldn't do anything to hurt her. She was safe in that space, and nothing could harm her. Still, she felt as if the world was spinning around in a dizzying pattern, rearing to go in for the kill. Tanith nearly tripped over her feet again, but the woman braced Tanith's shoulders between her hands to prevent such. How had she almost fallen over when she wasn't even trying to move? </em>
</p><p>
  <em>The woman let out a small sigh. "You're hurting," she murmured. "You're stressed, and it has nothing to do with the events taking place on Igni right now. There's something more, and you aren't going to feel better about it until you tell someone. You know that just as well as I do."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I can't," was all Tanith could say, but the words felt foreign and wrong on her lips. Her eyes were growing heavy already, and she knew that the connection through her dreams wasn't going to be staying active for much longer. After all, she was only partially sleeping when this link was formed, and given how little she had been sleeping as of late, there was only so much she could take. Even when she wasn't exhausted, this method of communication left her feeling sickened and queasy. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>The woman watched Tanith for a while longer before turning the girl around so that they were facing each other. Grayish blue eyes met gentle lavender, and Tanith stared up at the woman shakily. Her eyelids were threatening to close again, and her legs were beginning to shake. Tanith couldn't help but wonder when her legs had grown too weak to carry the weight of her own body. Had it always been this way? Would she even remember if it had been like that? </em>
</p><p>
  <em>The woman pulled Tanith a bit closer, cupping her hands along the younger girl's chin and tilting her head upwards. She pressed her forehead against Tanith's, and a sigh was released from her lungs into the echoing air of the dream of light. "You deserve better from me," the woman said softly. "You deserve better from this world."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>As if on cue, Tanith's knees buckled, and she crashed to the ground gracelessly. The woman tried to ease her down, but the attempt failed almost immediately. Instead, she let out another sigh, sadness lacing its way into her expression, before raising one hand to rest against Tanith's temple. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Tanith looked up at the woman for a moment longer before gentle teal light erupted from her hand. When the light faded, Tanith's eyes had shut, and the woman with the violet eyes had fallen away along with the rest of the world of light... </em>
</p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Tanith slowly pushed herself upright, rubbing at her head and wondering what time it was. The clock told her it was the middle of the afternoon, and she closed her eyes before wordlessly falling back onto the bed. Somehow, she was even more exhausted than when she had tried to nap in the first place. </p><p>Her mind was cast back to the woman with the purple eyes. She remembered distinctly how the woman had caught her when she fell, realized every hidden weakness that Tanith had tried so hard to bury, and watched her with such tenderness. She was well-acquainted with those eyes when she communicated with others through her dreams, but that never made the experience any less disorienting. </p><p>Tanith looked at the woman's face and then remembered her own, finding herself to be an inferior, almost sickly variation. Then again, was that not what she was? Upon realizing such a fact, Tanith felt sick to her stomach, and she closed her eyes in an attempt to block out the aggravating thoughts likening her to the woman in her dream. </p><p>Tanith wanted nothing more than to fall back to sleep, to actually get some rest rather than just tossing and turning for hours upon hours, but such was far easier said than done. Slumber evaded her, but she stubbornly remained in bed for what felt like an eternity after waking up. Why couldn't she just clear her conscience on her own without involving anyone else? Surely it would be less frustrating than talking about her problems or going another night without sleep. </p><p>She made a mental note to learn a sleep spell to cast on herself soon. She was tired of dealing with her own dreams, and she intended to let them know that as soon as possible. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Minerva knew that she was going to the right place without even having to check the message Leviathan had sent her, but she still felt the need to impulsively read it over to ensure she hadn't missed anything. Her mouth felt dry, and all she could do was stare at his request to meet with her at a small restaurant in Millennium City. </p><p>Her relationship with Leviathan had been complicated for lack of a better term for quite some time. There were far too many intricacies to their relationship for her to explain to most others, and only Altina really understood the depth of why she and Leviathan, once so close, had grown so distant when they should have been relying on each other more than others. Guilt pulled at Minerva's core, and she shook her head before shoving her phone back in her pocket and walking towards the entrance of the building. </p><p>Leviathan was positioned at a table tucked away in the corner, staring down at two cups of coffee. Of course he had gotten coffee; he knew Minerva liked that better than tea, something that hadn't changed even with all of their years apart. He immediately perked up when he noticed the door had opened, and he gestured for Minerva to come closer. She had to actively force her legs to move towards him rather than away, suddenly struggling to stand against the overwhelming guilt once again. </p><p>Minerva moved closer slowly before sliding into her seat across from him. All she could force herself to do at first was sent him a stoic nod. Her skull felt as if it had been stuffed full of cotton, numbing all of her internal screaming at the sight of him. She was surprised that he hadn't acted in a way that would make her feel worse even if it had only been a few seconds since her arrival. She watched as Leviathan stared at her, and she couldn't tell if she wanted him to break the silence or not. Maybe the quiet was her salvation while talking to him would make her feel worse. </p><p>"So... We sure do have a lot to discuss," Leviathan remarked, leaning forward and pressing his hands together against the table. "How have you been doing these past few years? Well, I guess it's been more than a few... The last time we saw each other before this was when I was a teenager. If I recall correctly, it was around the time that the War of Starlight took place."</p><p>Minerva let out a breath, kicking herself immediately for how strangled and forced it sounded. "Leviathan, I really don't want to deal with these pleasantries. Please, let's just get down to business," she said, biting down on her lip as she stared at her coffee. She couldn't make herself look up to her brother, knowing that his gaze was going to make her fall apart. </p><p>Leviathan sighed at her words. "You're just as serious as ever... I want to know why we haven't spoken in so long," he told her. "Minerva, I always cared about you a lot, and you have no idea how much it hurt me when everything fell apart years ago. Wings or not, I wanted you in my life."</p><p>Minerva looked up slowly, knowing that her expression was unreadable but not finding the ability to care in the slightest. "You can't mean that," she murmured. "It's my fault that all of this is happening. If my wings weren't taken away, none of this would be happening. You wouldn't have been disowned trying to protect me."</p><p>"You couldn't have saved yourself," Leviathan insisted. "You can't seriously blame yourself for what happened. It was completely out of your control. You were nearly killed, and you're still saying that it's your fault? Bull crap, Min. Our parents are to blame here. They decided that you weren't good enough for their twisted standards, and they forced you to go as a result. That isn't on you at all. It never has been your fault."</p><p>Minerva didn't know what to say to that, so she instead let her gaze drop back down to the coffee in front of her once again. She didn't look up as Leviathan continued to speak, simply letting him get it all out of his system instead. </p><p>"Your wings were ripped out of your spine, Minerva. There was no way for you to know that was going to happen. Our damn planet shouldn't hate on people like us who are inherently against the status quo. You lost your wings, and instead of responding with warmth and comfort, our parents said that wasn't enough. I chased after you, and that was my choice. You can't blame yourself for things that I wanted to do," Leviathan went on, and Minerva didn't think she had ever seen him so serious. It felt almost unnatural to hear him so worked up. </p><p>Minerva opened her mouth in an attempt to say something that would calm his ranting, but he cut her off by raising one hand. "I care about you a lot, Minerva. I don't care about our parents or our sister. I'm here for you. When they hated me for being an outcast, you told me everything was going to be alright. They never treated me like family, but you did. I looked up to you more than anyone else, and I spent years wondering why you weren't spending time with me anymore. I tried to blame your leaving for Sacred Heart, but I think we both know that it goes deeper than that. I want to know why we haven't spoken in more than two decades, Min. Why didn't you reach out to me? Heaven knows I thought about you all the time, but I want to know if our relationship was as important to you as it was to me," Leviathan continued. </p><p>When he finally stopped talking, Minerva realized that the time had come for her to answer. She took in a slow, careful breath before letting it out. "Leviathan, I... I felt like it was my fault that everything was crumbling," she admitted softly. "I was so sure that you hated me. You lost everything by following me away from our family. No inheritance, no family, no home... Even if it was your choice, you moved away from them because of me. I hated myself for letting that happen to you. I'm your big sister, damn it! I should have been keeping you safe from that sort of crap!"</p><p>"I should have been keeping you safe from what happened years ago," Leviathan cut in. "Our parents treated you terribly, and I didn't do anything to help you out. I know that I would have been abandoned immediately had I stood up for you, but... I don't care. My loyalties have always been with you above all others. You're my sister, Minerva. You actually took the time to care for me when our entire home planet said that I was a freak who didn't deserve to exist. Wings are a matter of life and death there, and our parents hated me for being able to shift back and forth, but you never held any sort of animosity towards me. You liked me just for being myself, and... I loved it."</p><p>Minerva felt emotionally raw after hearing Leviathan say so much. He had always masked his negative emotions with a goofy smile and a series of ridiculous comments, but this was the true nature of how he felt. He had spent so long hiding it from the rest of the world, her included, and seeing it all of a sudden was a shift that she didn't know she needed until it happened. </p><p>"Thank you for everything, Minerva," Leviathan suddenly said, and the brother and sister met eyes with solemnity written on their faces. He reached out his hands to take hers between his fingers before offering a gentle squeeze. "I'm glad that you're safe after all this time... I simply wish that you had let me in your life for so many years. I've missed you."</p><p>Minerva felt tears forming in her eyes before she could stop them. She knew that she should rub them away, but she couldn't bring herself to pull back from her brother's hands. His presence was so warm and welcoming. She hadn't felt the love of family in more than twenty-five years, and seeing him there was too beautiful for her to retreat from. </p><p>As soon as the first tear splattered onto the table below, a wave was triggered. Minerva swallowed dryly, knowing that she already looked like a mess but not finding the passion to care enough to reverse such. Instead, she simply squeezed Leviathan's hands. "I've missed you too," she murmured. She swallowed again before forcing her lips open once more. "Can... Can we go back to how everything was before? I want to spend time with you again."</p><p>Leviathan nodded, and his face lit up in a way Minerva hadn't seen in years. Pure, unfiltered joy spread across his features. "Please... I want to be your little brother above all else," he told her. "I don't care what others think of it. You don't need to feel guilty. I made this choice, and I intend to stick by it no matter what. Even if the rest of the world shuns us, it doesn't matter. We have each other, and that's what matters most."</p><p>Minerva couldn't help but smile, looking down at the place where her hands met her younger brother's as she attempted to find words. "Yeah... We do," she said softly. She couldn't find the ability to speak afterwards, but she didn't think that she needed to. Judging by the grin on her younger brother's face, Leviathan agreed. </p><p>The two stayed like that for a while, simply enjoying the presence of the other after being apart for so long. Minerva had made up her mind long before they left the restaurant; never again would she be leaving Leviathan behind due to her own guilt. No matter how terrible she had felt over his abandonment, they still had each other, and she didn't know what she would ever do without him.</p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Cerise could hardly stay still as she sat on a bench within the entrance area of Ridgeview. December was sitting to her left. Aurore and Caius stood nearby, watching the pair from afar but not daring to close the distance to speak with them about what was to come. Cerise looked up at them occasionally, but she couldn't force herself to say anything. December reached out one hand towards Cerise, taking the younger girl's fingers between her own. </p><p>Cerise had heard what this meeting was about less than an hour prior. She knew that Caius and Aurore suspected they had found out the truth behind her past. Their explanation of why they were investigating such in the first place had taken too long for Cerise's liking, and her mind was left spinning with a mix of confusion and shock. Still, there wasn't anything she could do to keep the meeting from happening, so she just waited for their guests to arrive. </p><p>The two people Cerise were to be meeting were Shiho and Zaeran Liu, the queen and king of N-Yx. Cerise hadn't been sure about reaching out to them so soon after escaping the clutches of Igni, but it wasn't as if she had been given the chance to express such. Instead of complaining, Cerise kept her thoughts to herself and simply waited for the meeting to be over. She was going to be able to talk it over with December after the pair had left. </p><p>Caius, Aurore, and Leviathan had been searching for Cerise for quite some time. To be more accurate, they were searching for Meili, and Cerise couldn't help but wonder if that really was her birth name. It wasn't as if she would remember; her first memories starred December rather than Shiho or Zaeran. December had always made it clear that Cerise was adopted, and she had never bothered to ask where she had come from. Cerise simply didn't see the point. After all, she was happy with December, so why would she want to reach out and risk that changing? </p><p>According to December's theory, Cerise had been kidnapped by Igni from a young due to her Blend magic. From there, December, who was a rising general in the army, took her in. At the time, Cerise's true identity was kept secret, and December looked after her from then on. Cerise nodded her way through the entire explanation, unsure of what else she could even do. What was she supposed to say to something like that? Everything in her mind was spinning, but she didn't want anyone to know that. Instead, she hid all that was rushing around in her head behind an emotionless expression. </p><p>The door finally creaked open, and Cerise looked up with a frown, hating how dry her throat felt all of a sudden. Even if she wanted to speak, she wasn't sure she would have the power to. When December rose to her feet, she reached out one hand towards Cerise, who accepted it after a moment of hesitation. Cerise slowly got up, hating the way that everyone was looking at her as she did so. Why did the world feel like it was falling apart? She hadn't even gotten the chance to speak with the people who everyone assumed were her parents, but she still wanted nothing more than to retreat into herself and think all of this over. Everything was moving too quickly for her liking. </p><p>Shiho and Zaeran walked into the room slowly, and both Caius and Aurore looked back and forth between the new arrivals and Cerise. The former general knew that all eyes were on her, and she hated how suppressive the attention felt. Even so, she managed to shove her reservations aside for long enough to take a step closer to the newcomers. Her heart was pounding wildly in her chest already, and it hadn't even been half a minute yet. </p><p>As Cerise looked at the pair, she certainly understood where the assumption that she was related to them had come from. Cerise's eyes were the same shape and color as her father's, and her hair was the same silky dark color of her mother's lengthy tresses. Cerise looked as if both of their most notable traits had been stuck together in a haphazard manner. With each new similarity she recognized, Cerise felt more lightheaded. There was no way this was happening. </p><p>Neither Shiho nor Zaeran said anything, and Cerise was more than happy to remain just as silent as they were being. She did nothing more than stare at the queen and king as Shiho closed the distance between them and threw her arms around Cerise's shoulders. Cerise took a step back instinctively, but she was able to relax into the embrace a few seconds later. Even so, stress was pounding through every inch of her body, and Cerise didn't know how she was supposed to feel about all of it. </p><p>Cerise stared at Zaeran from afar, knowing that her passive facade had fallen away. She saw tears glistening in his eyes, and her stomach twisted with something she thought may have been guilt. Cerise had never been an emotional person, and such a fact was still true as she stood before the royalty of N-Yx. She swallowed dryly, knowing that there was nothing else she could bring herself to do. </p><p>No matter how much Cerise wanted to deny it, she knew that the assumptions of the others were correct. She simply had to be related to the king and queen. There were too many similarities for her to overlook. She didn't know how she was meant to deal with such information though. After spending her entire life on Igni, Cerise had been left confused and lost with the sudden shift that came with her running away in the aftermath of Faerner's second invasion on Millennia. This was an even more drastic shift, and Cerise felt as if the ground was spinning beneath her feet. There was only so much time she would have to gather her bearings before the earth gave out completely. </p><p>"I have missed you so much," Shiho whispered into Cerise's ear, and Cerise suddenly became aware of how close her mother still was to her. She couldn't bring herself to pull away though, perhaps because she didn't want to disappoint this woman she had just met, so Cerise stayed there. Her arms would not move to embrace Shiho no matter how much she knew that she should at least try to display affection in return. She knew that she looked absolutely ridiculous, a wild look of panic burning in her eyes, but she didn't know how to make it stop. </p><p>Shiho seemed to recognize Cerise's discomfort, and she pulled away from the hug soon afterwards. Her hands remained braced against Cerise's shoulders as she looked at her daughter from top to bottom. Cerise couldn't bring herself to meet Shiho's eyes once again, and she bit down on her lip to keep from needing to speak. Everyone was staring, and she knew it. Why wouldn't they be staring? She had been revealed to be a lost princess of a planet that had been missing her for more than a decade and a half. If someone else had been in her shoes, Cerise would have stared as well. </p><p>"We'll be waiting for you," Shiho told her next. She didn't elaborate, but Cerise didn't think that she had to. Shiho seemed to have realized how overwhelmed Cerise was, something she was incredibly relieved for. Shiho gave her a melancholy, somber smile before taking a step back. Zaeran took her hand gently, and they took their leave a short few seconds later. Cerise knew that they were likely still going to be on Millennia until everything could be sorted out, but she still hated to see them leave. </p><p>Why did it feel as if she had disappointed these people who she barely knew? Cerise's heart seemed to rise into her throat, and no matter how much she wanted to run, she found herself glued to the spot. Even as December embraced her from behind, Cerise remained still, wondering when her life had spiraled so far out of what she considered normal. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Luce and the rest of the mercenaries slipped into their old routine incredibly quickly, and she couldn't even begin to say how thankful she was for that. The mercenaries were Luce's family, and she enjoyed spending time with them greatly. On top of that, she was able to distract herself from everything happening on Millennia by spending time with them. They didn't know how terrible things were getting on the other planet, so they didn't ask any probing questions. For the most part, they were too happy to see Luce again to bother asking her about what she had been going through over the past few weeks. </p><p>The one exception to this rule was Lianna, who was all too happy to watch Luce with her regularly curious gaze that seemed to see through every mask that Luce tried to put up. Lianna always had known her well, acting as a motherly figure to calm Luce's every nerve when life grew hard. Lianna had been steady and comforting for Luce each step of the way during her first semester at Alitia, and Luce had enjoyed having such a kind presence by her side. However, Luce couldn't help but wish suddenly that Lianna would understand when she didn't want to talk about something. Even if Luce knew that she was going to have to discuss it eventually, she didn't want to in the slightest. </p><p>Luce was working on polishing some equipment around the base when a shadow appeared behind her. She didn't even have to look back to know that it was Lianna. Luce didn't move, instead continuing to rub the cloth along the edge of an axe. It gave her something to do so that she didn't have to think about Lianna's silently pleading eyes. Even so, it didn't seem that Lianna was going to be letting her go so easily. </p><p>"Luce," Lianna said persistently, knowing that the younger girl recognized her presence. "You can't keep doing this to yourself. It isn't right for you to pressure yourself into silence when it's clear that you're suffering."</p><p>"I don't know what you're talking about. Everything is fine," Luce insisted, still not turning to face Lianna. She didn't know if she would be able to look at the other woman without falling apart. The idea was certainly unappealing at the very least, and she figured that it would be best if she just left it alone until there was no other option. </p><p>"Luce, I know you," Lianna reminded her. She walked around to stand in front of Luce before crouching down so that the two were at eye level. Luce still evaded her gaze, staring down at the weapon in her grasp. She set the axe aside before reaching for a rapier used by Sinin every once in a while. It hadn't seen much use since she had last polished it on her break between semesters at Alitia, she observed. </p><p>"Yes, I should hope so," Luce muttered. She understood Lianna's concern completely, but she still didn't want to talk about everything that had happened. The idea of speaking about Millennia was beyond unappealing. This was meant to be her chance to not think about everything going down between Igni and Millennia. She didn't know if she would get this escape before her life crumpled beneath the grasp of war once again. She had to try and enjoy it even if her smiles were all faked and hiding the gruesome reality that slithered in the shadows where her Starlight couldn't reach. </p><p>Luce partially couldn't believe how easily she had fallen back into her old habits. Sylvia had told her to talk with the rest of the team about everything that was hurting her, and Luce had to admit that she felt much better after getting it all off her chest. Still, all of that collapsed as soon as Tanith mentioned that Millennia's council was meeting to likely declare war against Igni. Luce couldn't keep it up anymore. Recovery sure as hell wasn't linear, and the idea of being open with how terrified she was made her feel sick to her stomach. </p><p>Luce's silence was nothing against Lianna, instead being a grudge against the reality that was pressing her to lead an army once again at such a young age. She didn't know how to word any of the thoughts spinning through her head, and Luce would much rather ignore them, continuing with false ignorance, than give grounds to the war that was inevitably going to sweep her in its cold embrace once again. </p><p>Lianna let out a sigh. "Luce, I don't know what's happening on Millennia, but you don't need to keep it to yourself. I've heard that tensions are high with Igni, but that's all I know. If you want to speak with us, please do. Trying to keep all of this weight on your shoulders alone is only going to hurt you in the long run. Please, at least promise me that you're going to talk to us if you feel like you need to get it off your chest," she instructed. </p><p>Luce looked up to meet Lianna's gaze, and she felt something that had previously been frozen in her chest melt. No matter how much she wanted to lie and say that she would talk despite having no intentions of doing so, Luce couldn't lie to those eyes. Lianna seemed to know the power she possessed over Luce, but she didn't let such an advantage show at all on her face. </p><p>Luce swallowed dryly before replying. "I promise," she said, and to her own surprise, she actually meant it. </p><p>Lianna nodded before rising to her feet and walking from the room, sensing that Luce needed time alone. Luce didn't watch her go, instead letting her gaze drop to the ground. Why did all of this have to happen? Why was she becoming a soldier more and more with each passing day despite her distance from the previous war? </p><p>Luce dropped Sinin's rapier soon afterwards, and the cleaning cloth fell along with it as she pressed her forehead into her hands. She just wanted all of this to be over, but she doubted that it ever would be. After all, war kept pulling her in no matter how much she tried to escape. Was there even a way for her to get away? She didn't know the answer, and Luce couldn't help but wonder if she wanted to hear the truth at all. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Poor kids I feel bad for making them suffer (that's a lie I love it) </p><p>-Digital</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0030"><h2>30. XXX: Spiraling Towards Ascension</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Caius does some investigating on Igni, crossing paths with Eros in the process.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It had been far too long since Pepper first came into River's room to ask them about everything involving their new Moonlight Blessing, and neither one of them had any answers. River had taken to pacing on a nearly daily basis, unable to sit still for longer than a few minutes when push came to shove. Pepper's research truly was starting to stress them out, but it wasn't for the reasons that one might expect. </p><p>The instant River had been born, expectations and weight had been shoved down their throat. Their father was a member of the Alight Five, and they were told to follow in his footsteps from day one. River hadn't been fond of the idea, and according to their father, they weren't strong enough to fill the position. The training they had undergone at his command had been nothing short of torturous, and River still had nightmares about the way their life had changed from seemingly to normal to hellish overnight. </p><p>In fact, it was for this reason that River's magic was as unstable as it was. There wasn't a way for them to control it after spending so much time pushing for power rather than dominion over their magic. River didn't know how to reel in their own magic after being told to simply let it go for so many years. They wanted nothing more than to know what they were doing, but the information they needed was still desperate to escape them for far too long, and it was most certainly frustrating. </p><p>The constant expectations coming from Pepper, who was just as desperate to solve this mystery as River was, were stressing them out more than they could ever hope to describe. Even if they knew Pepper's anger was directed at the Keeper of Moonlight rather than themselves, River couldn't keep themselves from thinking about it all until they had worked themselves up into another pacing spree. </p><p>Speaking of Pepper, she walked in as River was frantically throwing themselves from one side of the room to the other with hurried steps. River wasn't being forcefully kept in their room or anything similar, but they were too afraid to leave. They didn't want to see the way that others looked at them for all that they had done. River was fully aware that they deserved it, but their piercing gazes would be too much, and they knew it. Not even December or Cerise had been able to get in since they betrayed Igni themselves, as River was too nervous to reach out to even those she had known well before the incidents began. </p><p>"Did you learn anything new?" River found themselves asking mindlessly. They stopped pacing slowly, and their body moved itself robotically over to their bed before they sat down. Their legs were burning from exertion, and River couldn't help but wonder how long they had been pacing for. Had they really lost track of that much time while they were panicking over the Blessing?</p><p>"I've got a theory," Pepper replied. River couldn't decide if they were more reassured or terrified by her sudden show of confidence, but they didn't come to a conclusion quite yet, instead allowing her to continue. "You say that the Blessing was gifted from afar, but we haven't heard of anything like that happening in the past. I'm starting to wonder if perhaps we're dealing with a particularly powerful Moonlight Keeper this time around."</p><p>It certainly wouldn't surprise River. After all, they had no way of knowing for sure how strong the current Keeper of Moonlight was. They had been locked away by the Church of Moonlight their entire life, and there was no way for anyone to break through the barriers constructed by the church's archbishop. If the new Keeper of Moonlight had figured out a way to gift Blessings from afar, then who could say for sure how powerful they were? </p><p>Pepper kept talking, rattling off more words without even realizing that River had suffered from a moment of uncertainty. "I believe that the Keeper of Moonlight has unlocked some kind of unforeseen power. Since this hasn't ever happened, we can only assume that this new power is on the level of a magical prodigy," she continued. "In other words, we've got to find out a way to break through the barriers put up by the Church of Moonlight to talk to the Keeper of Moonlight, because this Keeper is a really powerful one that we can't allow to roam at large."</p><p>"But how do we know they're even out there?" River questioned nervously. "You said it yourself. The Keeper of Moonlight has been hidden by the Church of Moonlight for as long as anyone can remember."</p><p>"But they must have left at some point. I'm sure that you've heard about what happened during the Thanatos War a few months ago. A witness saw the Blessing being conferred in person. The Church of Moonlight hasn't been keeping the Keeper under as much scrutiny as we thought. In fact, they're letting them just walk around whenever they feel the urge. That's dangerous, and we need something done about it," Pepper frowned. She crossed her arms and shook her head. "I'm sure that we'll figure something out. There's going to be word soon from Headmistress Claudere about if we're really going to war with Igni or not, and when we hear about what's been decided, we can tell her about all of this."</p><p>River's stomach began to churn with nerves. Pepper's research had taken so long to reach a conclusion specifically because of the impossibility of it all. Nobody had wanted to believe that the Keeper of Moonlight would be capable of something like granting a Blessing from afar. After all, not even Dawn Shira seemed to be capable of pulling something so grand off, and she had been alive for far longer than the current Keeper of Moonlight. It was an unsettling conclusion to come to, and River found themselves feeling sick at the thought. </p><p>However, they didn't phrase any of this, instead nodding numbly. "Okay," they whispered. Pepper sent them a firm nod and walked from the room, confidence in her every step. River watched her go before practically collapsing onto her bed. Her muscles were still screaming from her pacing session earlier in the morning. </p><p>This was all too much, and there was only so much that River could take so soon. Their eyes swept shut, and a sigh left their lips as they shook their head. When the hell had life become so complicated? Why did it have to be this way?</p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Technically, Caius was under no obligation to return to Igni, but he found himself returning regardless. With Cerise found, Shiho and Zaeran had told him rather explicitly that his mission was finished, and yet, Caius didn't think that was the case yet. After all, there was still quite a bit for him to accomplish involving the tension between Igni and Millennia. </p><p>It was two days before the predetermined meeting between the members of the Millennium Council, and Caius wasn't looking forward to it in the slightest. He didn't want to go to war at all, knowing that such could end in pure disaster if not handled delicately. Millennia had the favor of many planets when compared to Igni, but no matter how many alliances they had, the people of Millennia were still going to suffer under Igni's superior military might. A war breaking out would be nothing short of disastrous. </p><p>Caius was creeping through the shadows of the planet, a frown on his face. There had to be new information hiding somewhere that he wasn't seeing quite yet, and as soon as he figured out what it was, he was going to report back to Millennia. There were too many people counting on him for him to fail. </p><p>At first, Caius didn't notice that he was being followed at all. He stopped as soon as he recognized the telling sign of footfall that followed a different rhythm than his own, and he whirled around to face the culprits while reaching for a sword at his hip. The instant he figured out who it was, he was going to engage in battle. </p><p>Caius was met with the unpleasant expression of Faerner, and he had to resist the urge to launch his sword then and there at the slimy asshole. Faerner watched him with a smirk that made Caius want to be sick, and the shapeshifter let out a small chuckle. "You sure do love snooping in places where you don't belong," he commented. Despite the laughter, his voice was devoid of all humor. Faerner snapped his fingers together. </p><p>Another figure came slinking out of the shadows, and Caius recognized them as Eros. The general had a scowl on his face, but Caius didn't think it was directed at him in the slightest. Eros couldn't stop sending angry glares out of the corner of his eyes to Faerner, barely able to contain his endless rage. </p><p>If Faerner noticed, he chose not to acknowledge Eros' anger. "Get rid of him," Faerner instructed of Eros before turning on his heel. He disappeared around a nearby corner, leaving only Caius and Eros standing together in the silence. </p><p>As far as Caius could tell, Eros didn't have any weapons. His famous axe had been missing ever since the the Second Camaraderie had broken onto Igni just before Carys' abduction, and it was still gone during their current confrontation. Eros didn't seem to care about his lack of weapons though, instead simply choosing to run as quickly as he could manage in Caius' direction. </p><p>Caius jumped immediately, and Eros was left to grasp at empty air. Caius landed on the windowsill of a nearby building, clutching onto the brick with one hand as he looked down on Eros. He didn't say a word, not in the mood for taunting. He was going to have to find a way to get into contact with Leviathan and Aurore to convince them to open a portal as soon as possible. </p><p>Eros looked up at Caius with fire in his eyes, and Caius jumped away before Eros could begin trying to climb the building. Caius began hopping from building to building, latching onto whatever he could find that would be able to hold his weight. Eros continued to chase him, though the anger in his eyes continued to burn strong. Once again though, it was aimed not at Caius, but at Faerner. </p><p>Caius found himself in an alleyway a few seconds before he realized that he was cornered. It was going to take a damn miracle or some equivalent stroke of luck if he wanted to get out of the alley without running into Eros. There weren't any nearby places for him to jump to, so he wouldn't be able to use his speed manifestation. What the hell could he even do?</p><p>That was when Caius felt a hand wrap around his ankle. A strangled yelp escaped his lips as he was dragged backwards, his legs buckling from beneath him. He heard a similar cry coming from Eros nearby, and Caius wondered who the hell would want to take both off them off the streets. There weren't any other groups as far as Caius was aware, so what the hell was happening? </p><p>Caius didn't find his vision properly again until about five minutes later, and he was met with the sight of darkness. He groaned to himself as he forced his body into a sitting position. Everything was starting to throb with a dull ache, and he couldn't help but wonder what had happened to him. Bruises were starting to rise along his exposed skin, and he hissed at the sight. That was certainly going to leave a mark later. </p><p>Eros wasn't too far away, curled into a small ball as he groaned and attempted to push himself to his feet. Every action he took was shaky and unsteady. However, Caius noticed, there was someone standing over him. It was impossible to pick out much more than a silhouette given how dark the area was, but Caius still managed to make out the hazy outline of curled hair and a tall, broad figure. </p><p>"You two really got yourselves into trouble, huh?" an unfamiliar voice questioned, and Caius looked up at the newcomer. He watched slowly as they stepped into the light, and he frowned at the sight of a young woman a few years his junior. Her skin was the same dark color that his was, and her curly hair was nothing short of beautiful. Her expression was rugged and worn, and Caius was able to guess easily that this was far from being her first time in this situation. </p><p>"What's going on?" Eros asked fiercely. Caius could tell that he was running solely off adrenaline, and it was only a matter of time before the general fell apart under the weight of his own stress. Caius simply hoped that he wasn't around whenever that finally did happen, knowing he was going to hate what came next. </p><p>"You're being taken in by the Ignite rebellion," the woman explained, reaching out one hand to Caius. He slowly accepted it as she pulled him to his feet. He realized that there were far more people in the area than just the three he had expected originally, and countless other figures were hiding in the shadows, slinking out for just long enough to catch a glimpse of the pair of people that had been dragged down from the surface. </p><p>"Ignite rebellion?" Eros echoed, his eyes going wide. He looked around in confusion the same way that Caius had a few moments before letting out a heavy sigh. "I get it. You're all leaths, and you're pissed because of how awful everything's been."</p><p>"Why don't you cut the act?" the woman questioned with a heavy sigh. She pinched the bridge of her nose with two of her fingers as she shook her head. "I know exactly what you're trying to do, and it isn't going to work. I already know that you're a leath. All of us are fully aware that you're a leath. The pieces are rather easy to put together."</p><p>Caius turned to face Eros for some confirmation on the woman's words. Even if Eros didn't openly confirm anything with words, the way he shoved his hands into his pockets and looked away was telling that she had hit the nail right on the head. Eros' shoulders hunched into themselves in an attempt to block out the rest of the world, but it didn't work on Caius at all. He watched Eros carefully, and the pieces clicked into place at long last in his mind. Eros hadn't been fighting since his axe went missing since it would give away that the axe itself had the power rather than Eros himself. He had gotten to the top of Igni's hierarchy by pretending to be something that he wasn't, and it had gone rather well until the Second Camaraderie managed to steal his axe. </p><p>Eros glared at the woman intensely. "Just who the hell do you think you are anyways? What makes you so sure that you can boss us around? I don't know what you're thinking, but you had better start explaining things," he scowled. </p><p>"I'm the leader of the leath rebellion here on Igni. You can call me Briyana," the woman explained. "I'd really appreciate help from both of you. After all, people like us have to stick together around here. It's not as if the mages or the system that we're working for are going to have our back, you know."</p><p>"You're trying to fight for equality then," Caius concluded. He slowly looked around the rest of the room, understanding why everyone was staring at both him and Eros all of a sudden. They had certainly been causing a scene before Briyana had dragged them underground. </p><p>"Exactly," Briyana confirmed with a nod. She turned on her heel and gestured for both Eros and Caius to follow her. "Quit snapping at each other and come with me for a moment. We've got important business to attend to."</p><p>Caius stole a brief glance over to Eros, who was still glaring at Briyana's retreating back for revealing his secret. Caius, on the other hand, was curious about what was happening, so he allowed himself to trail after Briyana. As soon as he realized that he was going to be left alone if he didn't go along, Eros let out a heavy, angry sigh before following both Briyana and Caius. The other members of the rebellion slowly appeared from the shadows, and Caius was left to marvel at just how many people there were in Briyana's merry band. </p><p>In fact, there were too many leaths in the area for him to count. Whenever he tried, he inevitably lost focus for long enough to fail in his endeavors. Then again, he supposed the number wasn't exactly the point. Their objective was the real matter of importance, and Caius was more than happy to listen to what they were aiming for. He was sure that he already had the general idea in mind, but he welcomed the idea of a full explanation. After all, if they were really attempting to reclaim Igni in the name of leaths, he needed to hear a few details. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Luce could still feel Lianna's eyes on her throughout the rest of the day, but she refused to allow the older woman to have the chance to see how much she was rattling her. Luce kept her expression passive as she walked around the fortress, biting down on the inside of her lip when she needed something to keep her grounded. Even so, Lianna never stopped staring, and Luce had to resist the urge to stare back. In a way, that felt like giving up on believing in peace. It was difficult to describe, but Luce didn't want to give into the idea that war was inevitable. This was likely her last chance to enjoy herself before more fighting started, and she was fully aware of it. She didn't want to embrace the idea though, so she simply continued to avoid it the way that she had gleefully ignored everything that happened during the Thanatos War. </p><p>Cryon seemed to notice that something was wrong, but he wasn't mentioning it, and Luce couldn't have been more thankful. She watched him out of the corner of her eye too, just to make sure that he wasn't going to say anything that would set off Lianna into another rant. Luce wasn't in the mood to be interrogated, and she doubted she ever would be. She got the sneaking suspicion Lianna's inquisitive stares were going to continue throughout the entire break if Luce didn't tell her about what was on her mind. It was. going to be exhausting, but she was willing to live with it. </p><p>If the other mercenaries were aware that she was being bothered, they chose not to say anything. Luce certainly preferred this outcome, and she wanted to thank them without actually having to speak the words. After all, saying something would bring the subject up, and the last thing she needed was to explain everything when she had already spent so much time putting up deliberate walls to avoid the war. </p><p>She needed this. She was hiding so much just after she was starting to open up, but she knew that she needed this. It was likely going to be her last breath of peace, and she wasn't going to let it go to waste. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Cerise had been in a bit of a strange mood ever since Shiho and Zaeran left, and she didn't know how to describe the tidal wave of emotions swirling through her rapidly. What could she even say? There weren't any words that would properly get her point across, so she simply stayed silent. </p><p>She had taken to sitting on her bed in the room she and Altina were sharing at Acadia, a frown on her face. Both of her parents had been insistent on giving her space until she was ready to talk to them, but Cerise didn't know if she would ever be fully prepared to face what they had to tell her. It was such a sudden, drastic shift. Her entire life had been dedicated to growing stronger as a fighter on Igni, and then she was being pressed into the role of a princess without any time to recover. Everything was moving too damn fast for her, but she didn't know how to apply the brakes to time itself. </p><p>December was in the room as well, not saying anything as she moved around the space to clean up. Cerise was thankful for both her presence and silence, not wanting to be alone but longing for some peaceful time to think everything over. She watched December closely, remembering the explanation that her adoptive mother had offered. </p><p>Cerise's family had taken a trip to Igni shortly after she was born as Meili on N-Yx, and then everything went to hell. Surion had taken interest in her because she was a Blend, and he had her kidnapped while her parents were distracted. From there, a young Meili was pressed into the care of December, who didn't understand what was happening at the time. December looked after her, making Meili into a soldier to fight in the name of Igni because she had to. Her name was changed to Cerise to keep anyone from catching onto the connection, and Meili was declared missing. As Shiho and Zaeran went into overdrive trying to search for her, Cerise grew up as a soldier on Igni, unaware of the life she could have been living had fate or destiny been kinder to her. </p><p>She felt as if she should have wanted to go back to her birth family, and yet, she couldn't bring herself to long for that. She had spent so much time with December and the other members of the Alight Five. When she sat down to think, she often bounced around thoughts of how to get Eros and Arisu away from Igni. Her birth parents were a sudden intrusion on everything that she had ever known, and she couldn't help but want to avoid the uncomfortable idea that had appeared seemingly out of nowhere. </p><p>According to December, Caius, Aurore, and Leviathan had been tasked with searching for her by both of her parents. Leviathan was one of the best trackers, so even if Aurore and Leviathan were Guardians of a different planet, they were still able to help. They had made frequent trips to Igni to determine if she was there, and when they learned the truth, they reached out to her parents and called them to Millennia to meet with her. </p><p>Slowly but surely, Cerise eased herself into a horizontal position on her bed, hands pressed over her eyes. This was the last thing she needed to deal with on top of everything else. Her life was enough of a mess as it was, so why did the universe think it would be a great idea to push this in at the last minute? Cerise had been perfectly fine spending time with December and the rest of the Alight Five before. She couldn't afford to deal with so much drama in times of great crisis. </p><p>This wasn't to say that Cerise was entirely uninterested. In truth, she merely wished that this had happened at a better time. There wasn't anything that would make dealing with this easier given the time that it had popped up. Igni and Millennia were about to go to war, and she was being expected to simply sit down and speak kindly with a smile on her face to the parents she had never known. It wasn't in Cerise's nature to stay stagnant, and she felt as if there were far more important things that required her attention first. </p><p>December looked over from her cleaning of the room and saw that Cerise was laying down. A light smile appeared on her lips, but anyone could see that her expression was equal parts fond and sad. "I know it's rough," she murmured, crossing the room to sit down next to Cerise on the bed. "But you're going to get through this. You're a strong young woman, and I have faith that you're going to find a way to push past this troubling situation."</p><p>"Thanks," Cerise replied, but the word was clipped and short, almost as if talking was too much effort for her in that moment. She pulled her hands away from her eyes and stared up at the ceiling, almost hating the way that she was sitting still in that moment. She placed her palms on the mattress on either side of her body and pushed herself up to her feet. She needed to get out and do something. She was going to drive herself over the edge if she didn't find a weapon and just start swinging. </p><p>December seemed to notice that Cerise was in an uncomfortable mood, and she stopped rearranging the room's objects to trail after Cerise. Neither one of them spoke, but Cerise was alright with that. After all, there was nothing for her to say on the matter that hadn't already been said. She chose to enjoy the company instead. </p><p>The walk to the training area of Acadia seemed both long and agonizing and short and snappy at the same time. Regardless, it was forgotten as soon as Cerise set her gaze upon a rack of training weapons nearby. She reached for a wooden sword and balanced its weight between her fingers before slashing. An odd sensation of warmth flooded her chest, and she swung the weapon again. </p><p>Cerise stopped moving when she realized how fitting this was. Her sword slowly dropped down to her side, and she scowled to herself. She had been born as a princess with expectations on her shoulders, and yet, she calmed herself by fighting. She wouldn't have needed this escape if she hadn't been taken from her family at such a young age. Cerise would never have learned how to use a blade if not for her abduction, the very subject she was trying to escape. </p><p>"I know," December murmured, picking up on what had captured Cerise's attention without ever saying a word. She placed a comforting hand on Cerise's shoulder and closed her eyes. Cerise had to resist the urge to drop the weapon between her fingers. December's hand was far warmer than she had been expecting, and she wanted nothing more than to enjoy that sensation for as long as possible. Then again, embracing December wouldn't get anything done, and she doubted it would improve the bad mood she was in given that it was born of stress over staying still. </p><p>December spoke once again though, and Cerise had to resist the urge to cry as tears prickled in her eyes. "I know."</p><p>~~~~~</p><p>According to Briyana, the resistance was going to be changing everything in a matter of weeks. </p><p>Caius had to admit that he was impressed with the number of plans she had made, and he was even more surprised to learn that her manifestation had nothing to do with tactics. Instead, her words gave her power, and her voice carried in a way that seemed to persuade all those who heard it to follow her cause. Being a good strategist was simply a bonus on top of her incredible leadership. </p><p>Eros even seemed to look down at the map with a smile, and Caius didn't think he had ever seen Eros look happier. Then again, there was still a dangerous anger coursing through those wild eyes, but it was better than nothing, he supposed. Caius couldn't help but wonder what had pushed Eros to such madness in the first place, but he doubted he would get his answers anytime soon. After all, they had been fighting less than an hour ago. </p><p>"I suppose that you should be getting back to Millennia, eh?" Briyana questioned, addressing Caius suddenly. He didn't know what she had been doing while he was distracted with watching Eros, but he did know that a confident smile had plastered itself directly on her face. Everything about her demanded attention, and he could certainly see how she had become the face of a movement. Briyana herself was the personification of everything that a rebellion could ever need. </p><p>Caius nodded in response, and he took a small step forward. Briyana gestured for him to follow her, but Eros stayed where he was. Caius trailed after Briyana as they moved deeper into the rebellion's hideout. There was a mage standing alone, and Caius assumed that they were going to be the one to send him back to Millennia. </p><p>Briyana placed a hand on his shoulder, and she grinned as their eyes met. "We'll keep in touch," she told him simply. It wasn't a question, rather a command, and he should have expected it given her position as the leader of the resistance. She continued to smile as a portal appeared nearby, and the last thing he saw before the world began to change around him was the way her eyes glittered mischievously. </p><p>When Caius next found himself grounded, he was back on Millennia. To be specific, he was standing in the courtyard of Ridgeview. His features were pulled taut as he realized that students were staring. Still, he didn't allow that to bother him as he moved towards his office. He had to call the other members of the Starlight Camaraderie as soon as possible. They were going to want to hear about his encounter with Briyana and Eros. It likely wouldn't stop the war, but it would at least give them something else to consider, and that was fine with him. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I typed this entire update in two chunks early in the morning oh boy</p><p>-Digital</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0031"><h2>31. XXXI: Destined Declaration</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Luce finally opens up to Lianna about her struggles with Millennia as the council comes to a decision.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The days passed in their own strange sense of offbeat rhythm, and Luce wasn't even sure if she was able to mark the passage of time aside from the rising and setting of the sun. She found herself feeling stagnant and pained no matter how much she wanted to find ground for herself to stand on. Luce was trying to move past her problems with the war by pretending they didn't exist, but this was proving itself to be far harder than she was expecting. Trying to avoid the subject of the inevitable coming war was most certainly frustrating, and she didn't seem to be able to run away from it no matter how hard she tried. </p><p>Lianna's eyes were only getting more inquisitive as the days went on, but concern was slowly starting to make its way into her gaze as well. Luce sat in her room on the morning of the second-to-last day of the break, her eyes shut as she faced the far wall away from the door. Luce heard Lianna before she saw her, and she didn't know if she wanted to turn around or not. </p><p>Lianna, it seemed, was not going to wait for permission from Luce to walk inside. "Hey," she greeted simply, casual and bright the same way as nearly everything else that she had always said. Still, there was an underlying shadow to it, like darkness shifting beneath the surface of ice, something that could be seen but was hard to grasp otherwise. </p><p>Luce wasn't sure of how to respond, but Lianna still wasn't patient enough to wait for an answer. Luce was used to Lianna's eternal kindness and grace, so to see her pushed so far was somewhat upsetting to her in a way that she didn't know how to describe. "What's going on?" Lianna questioned, getting right to the point without going through the regular song and dance of back and forth that they had been part of ever since Luce arrived back on Amity. </p><p>"I don't want to talk about it," Luce whispered, finally opening her eyes but still not able to make herself look up at Lianna. "There's a lot on my mind, and I'd rather not distract myself with it, if that's alright with you."</p><p>"It's already distracting you. Anyone can see that you're hiding something, and you're not doing a particularly good job," Lianna told Luce. Her words could be seen as harsh, but Luce knew better than to jump to such a conclusion. Everything Lianna said was rooted in its own sense of honesty, and she was pushing so hard because she cared so much. Despite her elegance and careful smiles, Lianna was just as stubborn as Luce and Cryon, and she was making sure that Luce knew it. </p><p>Luce couldn't bring herself to offer an answer to that, instead simply staring at the ground as her eyelids narrowed. She felt a gentle arm wrap around her shoulders, and she knew that Lianna was taking advantage of the few privileges that she had as a member of the mercenary company. Luce had always been picky regarding those who were allowed to touch her, but Lianna had enjoyed this unique position from the very beginning due to how much of motherly figure she had shown herself to be even from the beginning. </p><p>Luce found her body leaning against Lianna's before she had a chance to pull away, and much to her own surprise, she didn't move away when she thought she was bound to. Lianna's warmth was far more enjoyable than she had been acting since arriving back on Amity, and Luce suddenly couldn't remember why she was hiding anything in the first place. Of course Lianna was going to know everything. To many others, Luce was thought of as inscrutable because of her silence and stoicism, but Lianna was different. Lianna had been standing by her years, taking all of her flaws without blinking and understanding all the sharpened edges that had come to form as Luce grew older. Why was she trying to hide from a bond that had held her down in the face of terrifying darkness for so many years in the past? </p><p>Luce swallowed nervously, and she wondered when her mouth had gotten to be that dry. "I... I don't want to go back if it's going to end the way I'm suspecting," she admitted. The words were uncomfortable on her lips, but she knew that they had to get out one way or another, so she chose to breathe on around the anxiety hollowing out part of her chest. </p><p>"I've heard about how terrible relations have grown between Millennia and Igni," Lianna commented. "As far as I can tell, you're scared of a war coming and changing everything, and... I can't blame you for that. The idea is terrifying, especially for how young you are."</p><p>"It wasn't supposed to be like this," Luce sighed. "I was supposed to go to Alitia as a way of developing my skills and learning more about myself. I thought I was going to be discovering the truth of my origins, but instead, all I've really seen is fighting. I've always been a mercenary, but there's a difference between doing one-off jobs from time to time and marching off to war at the age of seventeen simply because there's nothing else to do. It's a natural development, but I really wish that wasn't the case."</p><p>"Yeah... I know," Lianna murmured. "You're too young to have to deal with something like this, and I'm tired of pretending otherwise. You're still a kid, and even if you're on the verge of adulthood, the fact remains that the last few months of your childhood have been taken from you because of war. Of course you want to ignore it. This could be your last chance before it all goes downhill again."</p><p>"Again," Luce snorted. "Heaven knows I can't escape this mess on my own. I can pretend all I want that everything is fine, but that doesn't change the fact that I'm still going to be dealing with this for years to come. Even when the war ends, it doesn't really end."</p><p>"There's too much for it all to come out in such a short period of time," Lianna sighed, shaking her head. "I didn't have to see the true nature of war until the Thanatos War, but there's still the difference of ten years between us. We can't pretend that it's the same thing, and you're... I wish that you weren't so young, but I don't think that there's anything I can do to change it."</p><p>"I'm not going to walk away," Luce said immediately. It was true, and there was no way for her to escape this truth. The war was something that she couldn't get away from even though she knew that it was. "I care too much about everybody else to step away from the war."</p><p>Lianna's face lit up with the ghost of a smile, though her expression remained somber and solemn. "Yeah... I know," she murmured. "No matter how uncaring others think you might be, you really do love others. You can't stand to abandon anybody who's suffering, and the idea of stepping away from the war is impossible for you. Technically, you could leave this fighting behind and make a new life here on Amity, but you still can't bring yourself to do that. It's something you can't run away from because of how compassionate you are, but... Love is the enemy of war, and the love that you have is turned against you until it's too much."</p><p>"I wish that there was a way to get away from it," Luce huffed with a roll of her eyes. "But what am I supposed to do to keep all of this from happening? The king of Igni is a man who doesn't care what others think of him. He's going to kick and scream and cause issues as long as he's alive, and there's no way that I can run away from it."</p><p>"There's not really anything that you can do aside from marching off to war and taking his head off yourself," Lianna snorted. "That's what you're thinking, and there's not a way for you to run away. The war is going to keep on going no matter how much you want to ignore it, and it's all because of King Surion."</p><p>"He's a king, so what could us common folk do to stop him? He's never cared about anybody, and... Honestly, he doesn't care about finding the truth behind the murder of his granddaughter. If it was only about figuring out who killed Octavia, he wouldn't be trying to send S.M. to her death. There's something more going on here, and the truth is only going to be unraveled on the battlefield. Peace isn't always an option. I learned that ages ago, but... The truth of it still surprises me when it comes to situations like this," Luce muttered angrily. Her animosity towards Surion only grew as the seconds ticked by, and she longed to grab her sword and swing it around to try and clear her head. Despite her internal pleas, she knew that she wasn't going to be able to do that. She couldn't escape her own thoughts no matter how desperate she was, and her sword would do little to calm how wild her mind had come to be. </p><p>"I'm sorry," Lianna whispered. "I wish I could tell you that it's going to be alright, but I don't think that's what you need to hear right now. I wish that it could have been different for you, but... I'm going to stand by you each step of the way. That's what you deserve."</p><p>"I deserve childhood too," Luce muttered, and she surprised herself with how bitter she sounded. No matter how much she wanted to leave the war behind, she wasn't going to be able to. The idea of fighting had a stranglehold on her body and soul, and there was no way for her to run away. She simply had to suck it up and grab her blade before walking right back into the hell that she had barely managed to escape before. </p><p>"Yeah... You do," Lianna agreed. Her voice was neutral and so damn exhausted, as if she hadn't slept at all in the past few days. Luce knew that she couldn't drift off to slumber without a fight, and her heart pulled at the idea that Lianna was suffering the same way. </p><p>The room was silent after that, and Luce couldn't bring herself to say much of anything. She had said all that she could, and she understood that Lianna was aware of what she was thinking. Luce felt as if every part of her body had shifted to become sharpened and angry, tragic emotions that could barely be contained by the illusion of flesh and blood. Lianna knew Luce better than nearly everyone, so she would of course be aware of the dark parts that even Luce herself attempted to ignore. However, there was no way for Luce herself to block it out, and she almost felt ridiculous for trying to increase the distance between herself and the inevitability of destiny. </p><p>Luce felt as if every part of her body was rattling just beneath the surface, desperate to get out, but she wasn't sure what she would have done if that had happened. Was there even anything for her to do in that situation? Her mouth was still dry, and her eyes closed slowly. When her breath caught on itself, she could feel the way that the icy, angry fingers of war gripped at her throat. No matter how much she wanted to run away, she couldn't even take her first step. She wasn't going to leave regardless of how desperate she was to escape. After all, no matter how easy it seemed for her to run away, escape had long since been impossible, and all she could do was wait for time to unwind and show her what waited on the other side of the hell her life had become. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Eros' steps were heavy whenever he navigated through the palace of Igni. He hadn't been able to speak with the rest of the resistance since he left the fortress behind, but he had told Arisu about it. To be more accurate, Arisu had dragged the information out of him kicking and screaming, and even worse, they had even agreed. The smile that had appeared on their face told him that they wanted to get in on the rebellion, perhaps in the name of the people who they had lost since the fight against Millennia had started. </p><p>Briyana never left his mind for long, and all he could do was imagine the way her smile, with all its quirky little flaws, beckoned for him to follow her example and change everything. Eros' very presence among the Alight Five had been based around how much he yearned for change, and Briyana was able to take all of that and use it to her advantage with those gleaming, mischievous eyes that always begged for his attention. </p><p>Caius had left to return to Millennia, and as far as Eros could tell, he agreed with Briyana's ideologies as well. Millennia was inevitably going to be forced into war with Igni. Surion wasn't going to let the transgressions of the past go, and Eros was fully aware of it. He was already tired of the dizzying cycle that came with war even if he hadn't fought in it beforehand. He tasted of copper whenever his thought process strayed too far into what was bound to come in the following handful of months. </p><p>Eros hated walking around the palace more with each passing day, and his temper only grew shorter. Every slash of teeth he saw from Faerner made him want to punch something, and Arisu had started to regard him with a cautious distance that made him oddly uncomfortable. He was so used to them being almost too close, too cushy for comfort, and their sudden step away bothered him. He knew why it was happening, but that didn't make it any easier to cope with. Anger vibrated beneath his skin, and he was desperate to release it somehow that didn't involve leading a war on a planet that happened to house some of the only people Eros had ever cared about. </p><p>He was naturally upset when Surion summoned Arisu and Faerner to speak with him, and he was dragged along by association. Faerner's smile had been overly mocking when he told Eros that he was needed, and it took every ounce of restraint that Eros possessed to keep himself from lashing out with one hand and putting pressure on Faerner's throat until he stopped moving. The idea of that catharsis lulled Eros off to sleep each night, and he waited with unfortunate anticipation for the day he was finally able to go that far. </p><p>Surion was still sitting on his throne when Eros arrived, and he watched as the king looked down on the three fighters who now made up the fractured Alight Five. Eros found himself growing impatient regarding what Surion was going to say next, and he tapped his foot furiously as if he thought doing so would get this meeting over with faster. </p><p>"I want you to invade Millennia once again."</p><p>
  <em>Of course that's what he wants. </em>
</p><p>Eros was getting sick of this. He hated the idea of going to Millennia again, he hated the idea of being stuck under Faerner's thumb any longer, and he hated the idea of having to deal with another fight where he could barely do anything because of his lack of axe. Then again, Surion wasn't exactly going to drop everything to listen to Eros' dramatic complaints, so all he could do was bite his tongue, smile the best he was able, and deal with it. Oh, this was going to be awful. </p><p>Faerner smiled that slippery little grin of his before bowing his head. "Of course," he told Surion as he rose to his feet. He walked away soon afterwards, leaving Eros and Arisu to look at one another out of the corner of their peripheral vision. Their expressions were stormy and unreadable, but Eros was on the verge of absolutely losing it. Each second Faerner paraded around as if he was the one in charge grated on his nerves even more than the last, and Eros was teetering on the brink of doing something that he knew nobody would approve of. </p><p>Still, Eros didn't allow himself to actually show how frustrated he was, instead painting a smile on his face that he prayed didn't look as strained as it felt. He followed Faerner and Arisu from the throne room to prepare for the coming battle, wondering about the implications of the coming fight. His stomach twisted when he remembered the promise made by the people of Millennia after the previous encounter. </p><p>Eros wasn't a fool, and he knew that Millennia was getting closer to declaring war on Igni with each new attack. This invasion was likely going to be the last straw, and when they arrived on the other planet, Eros, Faerner, and Arisu were going to be caught in the crossfire. However, it was clear as day that Faerner was going to leave the instant he sensed trouble because of how slippery and aggravating he could be when rubbed the wrong way. Faerner was a backstabber and a snake, and all of a sudden, his transforming abilities made a lot more sense than ever before. </p><p>But Eros didn't say any of this, instead clamping his mouth firmly shut as he got ready for the next battle. One day, Faerner's mistakes would catch up to him, and when they did, Eros would be ready with axe in hand to cut off his damn head. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Zylphia was absolutely exhausted by the time she walked out of the meeting of the Millennium Council. Her head was pounding from a mix of exhaustion and frustration, and she wished that she had been able to get more sleep in the nights leading up to the meeting. Still, no amount of sleep would have been able to change the outcome. </p><p>The next time Igni tried anything, there would be a declaration of war. </p><p>Zylphia and the rest of the Starlight Camaraderie had tried so damn hard to keep that from happening, but they knew that there was no way to push the people of Millennia away from fighting. The occupants of Millennia were far from being violent people naturally, but given how often they had been provoked in the past few weeks, this was inevitable. All the members of Zylphia's old team knew it, but the truth was something none of them wanted to acknowledge. After all, war meant going back to the terrible routine they had found back when Dawn was still around, and the declaration was like rubbing salt in two dozen wounds at once. </p><p>Her steps were heavy as she navigated her way to an isolated corner where she could teleport back to Alitia. Jin had offered to come with her, but she told him and the rest of the Starlight Camaraderie that she needed some time to herself, and he had relented upon seeing how exhausted she was. Zylphia might not have said it outright, but she was going back to Alitia as soon as possible to catch some sleep. Darkness tore at the skin beneath her eyes, and Zylphia knew that she wasn't going to be able to deal with the upcoming war if she didn't try to rest at least a little bit. </p><p>At the same time though, how was she supposed to sleep when she knew what was coming? Igni wasn't going to be backing down anytime soon, so she was going to have to be ready to keep her students and companions from getting hurt. The idea of war echoed in her mind with each action she took, and Zylphia prayed to both Starlight and Moonlight that the conflict would end soon. She didn't know how much more of this she would be able to take. </p><p>As soon as she got back, Zylphia was moving towards her room. She practically collapsed on her bed, for once not caring in the slightest that her students could find out about how exhausted she was. In most scenarios, Zylphia was firmly against allowing her students to see her weaknesses, but she couldn't bring herself to bother after the exhausting meeting had drawn to a close. </p><p>Zylphia wasn't sure how long her eyes had been closed, but it wasn't long enough. Hell, all the time in the world still wouldn't have been long enough. Something embedded deep in her gut said that she had to get up and move, and she hated the small voice because it was undoubtedly right. When her instincts said that something was wrong, she was going to have to listen, because she knew how often she was right about these situations. </p><p>When Zylphia first looked out the nearest window, she didn't see anything wrong. A few students of Alitia and the other schools were scattered around the courtyard, and Zylphia watched them carefully. Most of the students from her school had gone home over break, wanting to enjoy some needed relaxation time. However, there were a few who stayed behind just like always, and Zylphia was almost glad for them to lag at Alitia for the week. It meant she wasn't alone, or anywhere close, when her worst days of intrusive thinking began. </p><p>Zylphia couldn't help but wonder if her students knew what they were in for. There was a war starting soon unless Igni didn't invade for a while, but she was smart enough to know that wasn't going to happen. Millennia was going to be dragged into conflict incredibly soon, and the students of Alitia would undoubtedly have to join the fighting to defend the planet and their own lives. They were all too young for this, but that didn't mean that Zylphia could stop it. She could think all she wanted to about how this was messed up in a thousand different ways, but there was no way for her to keep the war from starting. Surion was determined to follow through with it, after all, and he had shown himself to be far too stubborn to back down when he thought that he was playing with the upper hand. </p><p>However, Zylphia's moment of peace was soon shattered, and something in her stomach said that there was going to be an attack in the near future. Her instincts were racing before she could even hope to calm herself, and she believed the knot of nerves at her core as she ran outside as quickly as she could manage. Zylphia passed a few confused students along the way, but none of them actually put thought into why she was sprinting so furiously. </p><p>Zylphia arrived outside the instant that the attack started, but she was met with a terrible realization as soon as her eyes fell upon the gate. Rather than Shadows, the opposing enemy faction was made up of human soldiers. She could see the familiar armor of Igni fighters glinting ominously in the midday sunshine, and her heart dropped into her feet. There was no way to avoid this. </p><p>
  <em>Crap. </em>
</p><p>Zylphia kept moving as soon as she came to this realization, almost as if holding onto the desperate wish for this to all be a dream. However, she knew that the events unfolding before her were most certainly real, and she could have sworn she tasted copper out of pure terror and anger. </p><p>The war wasn't waiting for anyone's permission to start. It was going to begin first and ask questions later, and the idea made her feel sick. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Luce and Lianna had been talking for a while after lunch ended. The rest of the mercenaries had joined them for a while before they all parted ways to continue going about their regular business, and Lianna had been more than glad to follow Luce into her room and continue their conversation. There wasn't much for Luce to say after all that she had dumped onto Lianna already, but she appreciated the company more than she was willing to admit. It gave her something to do and think about aside from the impending disaster taking place on Millennia, acting as a calming seal on her rattling nerves. Starlight above, she didn't realize how much she needed that until she got it. </p><p>Lianna was working on cleaning up Luce's room with a feather duster, spurred on by her compulsive need to keep the fortress as neat as possible. Lianna, along with Sinin, kept everything from falling apart at the seams due to mess. It was in her nature to try and organize everything in her life as a way of compensating for that which she couldn't keep organized. Luce's feelings most certainly fell into this category, and she was smart enough to see that was why Lianna was up and rushing around with a feverish smile on her face. Lianna needed something to do just as much as Luce did, though she was hiding it far better than the younger mage was. </p><p>In a way, Luce understood. After all, Lianna didn't attend classes at Alitia anymore, so how was she supposed to fully comprehend the way everything had escalated while Luce was gone? The last time Luce returned home, she had been smiling brightly out of hope for the world since Iago had died, but when she next came back, she was falling apart at the seams because of the knowledge that the future was going to be far from pleasant. Seeing that from the outside but not knowing what would help to keep things from getting worse was undoubtedly frustrating. It would drive Luce crazy, and she could only imagine how it was affecting Lianna, who had a heart too large for her own body. </p><p>Luce and Lianna had been talking casually as the latter continued to scramble around the room to wipe dust from every surface that had become coated in particles since Luce's last visit. Before that day, Lianna had been too distracted with getting Luce to open up to bother with cleaning, so she hadn't been given the chance to actually swipe the dust away. She was taking full advantage of it since Luce had finally opened up, and Luce couldn't help but wonder just how much her earlier silence had bothered Lianna. </p><p>The two were so caught up in their conversation that Luce didn't even realize when her phone vibrated at her side. She frowned to herself before digging her hand into her pocket during a lull in the conversation, pulling out the device. She could see a text message dated from an hour prior, and as soon as she read it, her blood ran cold. </p><p>The message was from Tanith, and it had been sent to the dorm's group chat along with Cessair, Nebula, and Anneliese. Luce didn't know how many of them had read it given how they had divided for break, but she had the sneaking suspicion that none of them were going to like it when they did the chance to see what Tanith had said. </p><p>
  <em>"Igni just invaded Alitia again. Zylphia says that the next attack is going to end in a declaration of war, and it looks like it's already happening."</em>
</p><p>There was an unspoken apology behind Tanith's words, and Luce knew that the other girl was sorry to have to deliver such unfortunate news when the group should have been enjoying themselves away from the stresses of school life. All Luce could do was stare though, as no apology from anyone other than Surion would ever make her woes go away. In fact, she wasn't even sure if Surion backing off would be able to help the way she felt sick as soon as she saw the message. </p><p>"What's going on?" Lianna questioned, catching the audible hitch in Luce's breath even when her back was turned. She slowly rotated to face Luce after she finished dusting off a shelf, and a gasp left her lips as soon as she saw the ghastly expression on Luce's face. "What happened?"</p><p>Luce didn't even think that Lianna needed to hear a full explanation. The shock painting her features was certainly more than enough to say what had happened, and Luce was relieved for such. She didn't think that she would be able to say it without falling apart. She had known this was coming, but even so, she had spent all week trying to run from it. </p><p>"I see," Lianna murmured. She set the duster down before taking a seat next to Luce. She saw Tanith's message when she peered over Luce's shoulder, and a sigh left her lips as she wrapped an arm around Luce's upper body. Luce leaned against her torso numbly, unsure of if she could do anything to make this pain go away. This was inevitable, and she was fully aware of it, but that didn't make the shock any easier to contend with. </p><p>Luce lost track of how long she was sitting there, her heart in her throat as words became impossible to form. She had to go back as soon as possible to ensure that her companions were safe, and yet, she couldn't bring herself to move. She felt sick, and she wondered if this nausea would ever go away on its own. Her life felt as if it was falling apart while she was still at the center, trapped among debris as the truth of the situation came to light. </p><p>No matter how much she tried to run from it, Luce had been stuck with the horror of war all over again. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Online classes are kind of the worst honestly</p><p>-Digital</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0032"><h2>32. XXXII: A Home Shattered</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The attack on Alitia sends Luce back to Millennia.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>To put it simply, Tanith was tired. </p><p>It was the sort of exhaustion that penetrated her skin and gnawed at her bones with sharpened fangs. She was both barely able to keep her eyes open and incredibly alert throughout the fight at Alitia. Zylphia had called for an emergency, and all of the students in the area were immediately forced to lash out in order to stay alive. It was twisted and terrible, and all Tanith could do is stare. She was too tired to do much of anything else, and her skin felt like it was crawling beneath the mask of her calm. </p><p>They were fighting against actual soldiers who were looking to hurt them. The enemies weren't Shadows or possessed passerby who had been forced into combat by a man who was known to be evil. They were honest to Starlight soldiers who were part of an opposing army that was looking to wipe Millennia off the map. The armor they wore was of Ignite origin, though Tanith shouldn't have been surprised. She had seen this coming ages ago, but she hated that she had been right when she suspected that it was coming. She bit down on her lip fiercely in an attempt to make the fear stop, but it wasn't anywhere near enough. </p><p>Could it even be called fear? Perhaps it was something greater that she simply wasn't aware of. Her mouth felt dry, and the world appeared to exist on the other side of a barrier that she knew someone had made. She didn't know who had crafted it, but it sure as hell hadn't been her. All Tanith could do was stare ahead and wait for something to happen. </p><p>A barrier had been placed around the school to keep the soldiers of Igni away. Fighting against possessed people and Shadows was completely different than battling real soldiers. The army of Igni wasn't going to be holding back, and the students of not only Alitia, but every school from the Millennium Six, could die. If they didn't die, they would be turned into killers in an attempt to survive, and both outcomes made Tanith feel as if she was going to be sick, so all she did was look at the gate that was blocking out the reality of what was happening. </p><p>There was a hand wrapped around Tanith's, and when she looked down, she could see that it belonged to Helena. The two of them were clustered together with Sophia and S.M. as they waited for the army to break through the gate that had been put up. They all knew that it was a matter of time, and there was no saying what they were supposed to do when the enemy did crash through the barrier. </p><p>Nobody dared to speak from Tanith's group, but other students of Alitia were in a nervous daze. Some teams chattered in fear, praying that perhaps talking would keep them from needing to confront the gravity of what was playing out before them. Tanith almost wished that she had their energy, and she vaguely wondered if she would ever feel that chipper again. She wasn't sure of how long she had been this exhausted, but she was positive that her sleepiness was tearing at the skin below her eyes relentlessly. </p><p>Still, there wasn't a chance for her to rest. After all, Zylphia's worst fears were coming to life right before their eyes. The Millennium Council had declared that they would be going to war as soon as the army of Igni invaded once again, but they had been expecting Shadows rather than real soldiers. Shadows had no emotions, and unlike those who were possessed, there was no easy way to fix the problem. The solutions didn't cause pain upon another living human being. </p><p>The risk of death had always been there, but it hadn't been a matter of killing to keep from being killed. The shift was sudden and brutal, and Tanith felt herself nauseous merely thinking about it. Of course, she didn't say anything about this, instead pressing her lips together tightly to keep from spilling all her worries about how apocalypse was coming. She turned her gaze upwards and watched as the soldiers of Igni rammed against the shield around Alitia, wondering when they would find a way to break through. She knew that it was going to happen. It was merely a matter of time. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Luce found herself struggling to do anything for a long time after she received the text. She knew that she wouldn't be getting any answers from Tanith no matter how desperate she was. After all, if Igni had really invaded Millennia, Tanith would undoubtedly be busy with Helena, Sophia, and S.M. in defending Alitia. There wasn't anyone who she would be able to contact who was still there. Nebula was still at Sacred Heart, but chances were high that she was occupied as well. </p><p>"What are you going to do?"</p><p>Luce looked over to Lianna upon hearing the words, and she wished that she had an easy response, but she knew that there was no simple answer to such a question. She was being dragged into war all over again, and even if she had known it was going to happen, she still hated it with everything that she had. Luce knew it was coming, but she still didn't think it would be so soon. She thought she had a bit more time, but it seemed Surion had other plans. </p><p>Luce shook her head slowly. "There's no option," she said, wishing that she sounded as confident as she wanted to be. Instead, her voice threatened to shrivel up and die the instant the words played across her tongue, and all she could do was stare at her phone and the message from Tanith. If Millennia was under attack like she said, then Luce needed to find a way to get back as soon as possible. Everybody needed her. </p><p>"Yeah... I know," Lianna answered, a ghost of a falsified smile gracing her features. She shook her head and rose to her feet before letting out a sigh. She extended one hand towards Luce to help the other girl to her feet, and Luce was happy to accept the assistance. </p><p>As soon as she was on her feet, Luce took in a deep breath. "Can you get me back there?" she asked. Her voice felt like it was shaking, but she pretended to have something that resembled bravery despite her fear. Even if she felt like she was going to fall apart, she was going to at least try to put on a good show. </p><p>Lianna nodded without hesitation, but Luce could still see the uncertainty in her eyes. No matter how supportive Lianna had been, the fact remained that she was going to worry about Luce no matter what happened. Even if she was drowning in her own concern though, Lianna dared not to show it, and she carved a hole in the sky with her hands slowly. Luce already knew what was waiting on the other side of the rift, and she took a step towards it. </p><p>"I'll be back soon," Luce assured her, and this time, she actually sounded sure of herself. She walked through the portal and disappeared from the inside of the fortress, leaving Lianna alone in the room. The portal closed and vanished, prompting the space to fall silent as if they had never been there together in the first place. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>December and Cerise were practically prowling through Millennium City, blades in their hands. The streets had been emptied, and the only sound that could be heard was the wind that blew through the area ominously. No life could be seen for miles, and it looked more like a facade rather than a real area. </p><p>And yet, despite this frightening quality the city had taken on, December and Cerise kept moving. They knew what was waiting for them somewhere within the sprawling streets of Millennium City. The commander of the Ignite army had to be nearby if the soldiers were invading the Millennium Six, and their best bet at fighting against experienced soldiers would be to remove the leader and pray that everyone else followed their advice to retreat. </p><p>The people of Millennium City had likely gone to hide wherever they could as soon as they learned of the news, and nobody dared to stray out into the main area of the city out of fear of the soldiers that were bound to be hiding around each corner. Cerise wasn't even sure about if prowling the city alongside December was a good idea, and she was fully aware of how strong both she and December could be when they were placed in the proper circumstances. Despite this, she found herself shuddering each time she thought she saw something move out of the corner of her eye. The preparation for an imminent battle never quite left her alone, leaving an itch just beneath her skin that she couldn't quite scratch. </p><p>A swishing from off to her left had December whirling around, and Cerise followed suit. They had been sent out to defeat the commander of the Ignite army while Altina focused on defending Acadia, and everyone was counting on them. Regardless of if the other schools were aware of December and Cerise's actions, it was certain that everyone would be thanking them later. </p><p>December dared to walk closer to the one responsible for the noise, and Cerise trailed after her reluctantly despite the pounding of her heart in her chest. Her grip on her sword tightened, and she held onto the blade as if she thought it would be able to save her from the fight to come. </p><p>As soon as the figure in the shadows came into view, Cerise's expression set into something that was somehow more solemn than it had been before. December followed suit, and the two of them found themselves staring right at another player in this game of unpleasant war. </p><p>"Greetings, Arisu," December said simply. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Fromir was an absolute mess. </p><p>The sudden attack from the Ignite army had practically set him up to explode, and he didn't think that he would be able to avoid the outcome any longer. He had been buzzing on the inside ever since the attacks began, and the stress was finally causing some cracks to appear. They were going to burst forth, causing water to flood every part of his body until he was unable to do anything to resist. No matter how much he had tried to avoid this outcome, he was unable to prevent it entirely, and he felt like the world was spinning around him, as if he was sitting in a large tub when the drain was pulled. He was going to be dragged underwater if he wasn't careful, and he knew that he was walking a fine line between efficiency and breakdown. </p><p>Fromir's worry about Nebula was only causing another layer of hellish agony to pile on top of everything else, and the last thing he needed was even more to be concerned about. His throat felt like it was growing thicker, and inhaling took far more effort than it should have. He had to find a way to focus, but how could he do that when it felt as if he was on the verge of flying apart in a dozen different directions if he didn't handle this properly? </p><p>Luckily for him, Fromir was far from being alone. Leviathan and Aurore were both standing beside him, and they were ready as could be for what was to come. Fromir hadn't ever expected that he would take comfort in their presences, and yet, there he was. He had always been focused on putting up a mask of being a good host, but he didn't feel the need to pretend as much around them as he used to. Even at the heart of the battlefield, they were able to make him feel calmer. </p><p>The dome around Sierra was taking a few terrible hits, but Fromir was managing to keep it under control. Everyone needed him to shove his anxiety aside and make peace with it later, and such a daunting task actually seemed manageable as long as Leviathan and Aurore were there. He swallowed dryly, praying that they couldn't see how nervous he was just beneath the surface. </p><p>Suddenly, Fromir felt warmth against his hand, and he looked down to see that Leviathan had reached out to wrap their fingers together. A sincere smile was on his face, and it felt sobering when compared to the grins of mischief that Leviathan usually wore. Somehow, Fromir felt as if he saw more of Leviathan in that brief moment than most people did in their entire lives. </p><p>"It's going to be okay," Leviathan told him, just as optimistic as always. Much to his own surprise, Fromir believed it, and he was able to slowly but surely shelve his fears. Adrenaline had taken hold ages ago, but he felt as if he could finally act on it after standing like a statue for what felt like ages. Thank Starlight for Leviathan. </p><p>Fromir nodded to Leviathan with a light smile, unable to stop thinking about the other man once he had started. Leviathan had been so good to him since they first met, and Fromir had to admit that he had grown rather attached to the shapeshifter. Their date had been incredible, and when they spent time together, Fromir actually felt as if maybe he would be able to handle all of this. He had been so damn scared when fighting the War of Starlight, and he had been able to enjoy a support system without the fear of accidentally setting one of his companions off into a spiral of self-destruction. This situation somehow felt worse to him despite his newfound experience, but Leviathan made it all seem possible and maybe even easy. </p><p>The soldiers of Igni had their weapons raised, and they were battering against the shield around Sierra, but Fromir could barely hear them. For just a few stolen seconds, he was able to actually breathe, and he found that the air felt great as it slid through his lungs. When he exhaled, the world spun less and less until it was rooted in reality completely. Everything was going to be fine. Regardless of how terrified he was, Fromir was sure that the outcome would be alright. </p><p>"Let's do this," Fromir murmured, and Leviathan nodded with that wide grin of his. The moment of sober sincerity had disappeared, giving way to the regular mischief that Leviathan had come to be known for. Still, Fromir knew he would never forget the expression he had seen on Leviathan's face, even if it was only for a moment. He allowed the image to push him onward as he pressed towards the edge of the barrier. </p><p>Then the battle truly began. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>There were too many soldiers battering against the barrier to be counted, and as far as Zylphia could tell, this applied to every school. She had heard the students buzzing during the early phase of the battle about how there were soldiers in the other segments of Millennium City and its surrounding territory. Zylphia couldn't tell if it was reassuring or not to know that this was far from being a small, isolated incident. However, she knew for sure that everything was starting to crumble, and there wasn't much comfort to be found given the dismal situation. </p><p>Spears, swords, and other weapons were being slammed against the shield, though they were doing minimal damage given how powerful the magic was. Most lower-ranking soldiers within the army of Igni were leaths, a byproduct of the structure of the planet causing various issues. They lacked the magic needed to get through, meaning all they could do was slam helplessly against the shield as if they didn't want to fight in the first place. </p><p>Zylphia wouldn't have been too surprised to hear that this was the case. After all, Surion was very firm about making sure others followed his orders regardless of their opinions on his words. The soldiers of Igni fought because being battle-ready was a necessity for survival on Igni. Fighting brought in money, and it kept those at the lowest end of the pyramid from suffering in the gutter. The battle was fought out of obligation more than anything else, and the morale of the enemy was weak at best. </p><p>Still, Zylphia knew what this fight meant. There were no reinforcements coming because the Millennium Six were dealing with more than enough as each of the schools dealt with a different invasion. She and the rest of the occupants of Alitia were going to have to find a way to fight back on their own, but there was only so much they could do. The barrier would keep out their enemies for quite some time, but what would happen if the shield cracked? Would the world crumble as the army of Igni surged in? The mere idea made Zylphia's stomach churn, and she was afraid of imagining the outcome. </p><p>Zylphia stepped towards the barrier, and she pressed one hand against it. A light electric shock surged through the surface, and the soldiers closest to the shield jolted backwards in response. She knew that she had been successful in her attempt to keep them at bay, but a few seconds later, they were back just like before. Zylphia couldn't bring herself to hurt the soldiers knowing that their motivations were far from being based in malice, so she kept the shocks that she felt the need to administer to a minimum on the power scale. </p><p>Out of the corner of her vision, Zylphia saw motion, but she didn't have the chance to see what was happening. The battle required her full attention, and she wasn't going to allow herself to slip up. Too many people were counting on her for her to fail. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>When Luce stepped out of the portal, she found herself at the back of the courtyard of Alitia. She glanced around with a frown on her face as she transformed into her Isolis form. She had left her sword on Amity since there hadn't been much of a chance for her to prepare before the declaration reached her and she had to leave. As soon as she had shifted forms, Luce closed her eyes, and the light around her consolidated into a blade that she curled her fingers around. She looked down at it with a tense expression before turning her full attention to the fight at hand. </p><p>There were students everywhere, and none of them appeared to be ready for the battle at hand. In fact, there weren't fighters anywhere near Alitia that Luce could see. She noticed the barrier a few seconds later, and the pieces slipped together enough for her to figure out. A sigh left her lips, and she glanced around in an attempt to find her companions from the chaos. Carys, Iris, and Sylvia were likely still on their home planets, so Luce figured that searching for them was pointless. The other four girls in her dorm, however, were free territory for her to find, and Cessair was in the same category. Despite Luce's prayers though, she was unable to latch onto anything that resembled her close companions. </p><p>A burst of wind passed through the barrier, and Luce smiled to herself before taking to the skies. Sure enough, she was able to find the source, and Tanith was gathered with Sophia, S.M., and Helena near the edge of the shield. Tanith's air magic was all that could pass through the barrier directly it seemed, and Luce was relieved she had noticed it so that she didn't need to stumble around on her own. </p><p>"What's going on?" Luce questioned as she landed beside S.M., her expression set into grimness. </p><p>The rest of the group turned to face her in surprise, and Sophia let out a gasp. "Luce!" she exclaimed. "What are you doing here? I thought you would still be on Amity for the next few days..."</p><p>"I got Tanith's message," Luce explained simply, not wanting to get into the hoops she had jumped through in order to move past her animosity for the idea of war and arrive back with the team. "Is there anything I should know about this fight?"</p><p>"Our enemies are leath soldiers from the army of Igni. Zylphia made a barrier of electricity to keep them out, but not much magic can pass through directly, I'm afraid. Unless you have something to manipulate from the other side of the shield, there's not going to be much that you can do, I'm afraid," Tanith explained, getting down to business quickly as usual. Her tone was that of a strategist, and Luce tried not to let her stomach churn at the knowledge that Tanith had come to possess such skills through the Thanatos War. </p><p>"We can't really do much from here," Helena admitted with a small sigh as she looked over to Luce. "Tanith's wind magic can pass through, and you came just as S.M. and Sophia were about to start trying to fight back."</p><p>"There are more than enough rocks and plants out there for us to lash out," S.M. told Luce. "Granted, it's going to be harder to control given that we've got the barrier in the way, but I'm sure that we'll be able to figure something out. The least we can do is cause a stalemate where they can't deal any damage to us. They'll have to retreat sooner or later."</p><p>"It's clear that they didn't come for an extended battle, so after a few hours, they should be gone," Helena said next, but it seemed as if she was trying to convince herself just as much as she was explaining it to Luce. "The point is that we're going to figure it out, and everything is going to be fine. We do appreciate your coming back here though... I'm sorry you weren't able to enjoy the end of your break though."</p><p>"You can't enjoy it either," Luce countered. "Besides, it's not like I would be able to return to normal life after hearing about all of this. It wouldn't feel right at all, and I feel like you'd all feel the same in my shoes." She hoped that her eyes didn't give away the truth that she had been thinking about this happening ever since the break began. </p><p>If Helena did notice though, she didn't comment on it. Instead, she simply nodded and let out a nervous laugh. "I guess that you have a point there... We're going to take care of the school though. I'm sure that Carys, Sylvia, and Iris will be back sometime in the next few days, and when they do get back here, we'll be able to figure out what our next move is going to be. There will be other students here too, and I'm sure that it'll be way easier for us to mount a defense against whatever Igni decides to throw at us."</p><p>Luce nodded her understanding before looking back to S.M. and Sophia. The two girls had locked their gazes, and they were preparing to start attacking. They shifted their focus to the other side of the barrier, and S.M. clenched her hands into fists. </p><p>The earth directly surrounding the shield began to quake. A rut was created in the ground just outside the barrier, forming a divide of about two feet in front of the shield. The soldiers were forced to stumble backwards to keep from being swallowed by the earth, and panicked shouts could be heard from the other side of the gate. S.M. smiled with muted pride in response, and she spread her arms outwards to make the divide in the ground grow even larger. </p><p>Sophia was the next one to act, and her face fell into solemnity before she let one of her arms rise to the sky. The grass on the other side of the rut began to grow rapidly, and vines coiled around the soldiers who dared to get too close. Slowly but surely, Sophia was able to get more of them under control while keeping the soldiers tied up, and she remained just as stoic as before the whole way through. </p><p>Luce couldn't help but watch on with pride, knowing that there wasn't much she could do because of the way her magic worked. She couldn't do anything to fight back without risking the stability of the shield, and she knew that Zylphia was working hard enough to keep the barrier up. The last thing Luce wanted was to cause more problems when she had come specifically because she wanted to help. </p><p>Helena's gaze shifted to Tanith, and Luce followed her eyes. Tanith pushed one of her arms forward, and wind passed through the tiniest of cracks between the barrier. She pulled her arm in closer almost immediately afterwards, and the air shifted suddenly, knocking a few soldiers into the rut below. Others were hit into the plants, left to be grabbed by Sophia's vines. The gap wasn't deep enough to cause issues when the soldiers hit the bottom, but it certainly distracted them, and it kept the rest of the soldiers from getting too much closer than they already had. </p><p>S.M.'s expression remained fiery, and Luce took to the skies upon seeing sweat bead across her forehead. She could see the gap in the ground spreading, acting as a perimeter around the shield. The barrier extended underground to counteract any Igni soldiers that happened to have earth magic that could dig beneath the ground. Their defense plan was working incredibly well, and Luce couldn't help but smile to herself at the realization. </p><p>Other students were joining in, she could see. There weren't many that were able to fight back between the shield, but those that could were doing everything they could to keep the soldiers at bay. Luce wished that she was able to fight, but she knew that everyone was going to be able to handle it. She had enough faith in them to assume that they were going to be okay, though she had to admit that she felt rather stir crazy watching everybody else fight when she lacked the power. </p><p>S.M. was able to finish her ring around the barrier a few moments later, and she let out a sigh once she was done. She shook her head after her work was completely finished, clearly exhausted by spreading her influence so far. An arm wrapped around her shoulders, and Luce realized upon getting closer that Helena was responsible for the act of comfort. She landed soon afterwards, still gripping at her sword tightly even though she knew it would be useless. Leaving the barrier would be even worse though, so she bit her nerves back. </p><p>"Hey! S.M.!"</p><p>Luce turned upon hearing a vaguely familiar voice, and she watched as Mina ran closer. Kanoa was with her, and the two both looked incredibly flustered yet solemn. Mina bent over once she had finished running, pressing her hands against her knees and breathing heavily. It took a moment of her gasping for breath before she rose to her full height once again, and determination found a home in her gaze. "You should come with us," Mina explained simply, saying it so confidently that it seemed as if she was convinced it would say everything about the situation. </p><p>S.M. watched her in confusion for a moment. "What are you talking about? We can't go anywhere. The school is under attack," she reminded Mina. </p><p>"There's someone here who wants to see you, and I think that we should hear her out," Mina explained. "Her name is Briyana Frazier, and she has a lot to talk to us about. She's from Igni, and I believe that we should go and listen to her. She can take us back to Igni now, but I'm not sure how long her portal is going to be staying open. I trust her, and I think that we should try to figure out what it is she wants from us."</p><p>S.M. hesitated before looking back to Sophia and Helena. The two girls smiled to her in response, and Sophia spoke up a moment later. "You can go, S.M., if you really think this is for the best. You've already done a lot here, and we can handle it. There are other students around here too. Go for it," she said kindly. </p><p>S.M. nodded in response. "Alright," she said softly. She turned on her heel and began to dash away, waving over her shoulder as she did so. "Good luck, everyone! I'll be looking forward to hearing about the end of the fight!"</p><p>S.M., Mina, and Kanoa all disappeared into the corner of the courtyard, and Luce watched them go with a small frown on her face. She hadn't ever heard of anyone by the name of Briyana Frazier, but she figured that this meeting had to be important if she was appearing in the middle of an invasion on Millennia. Luce actively forced her nerves and anxiety aside to focus on the situation at hand. She was in the middle of a battle, and she couldn't forget that. </p><p>The fight was still at the same stalemate it had been at before, and Luce bit the inside of her lip. She prayed that the battle was over as soon as possible, but she knew that it was never that easy though, and all they could do was continue fighting and hope that the enemy really did back down like Tanith was hoping for. They were making progress, and that had to count for something, but Luce still couldn't stop thinking about what this battle signified. </p><p>It was the beginning of a war, and there was no backing down anymore. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This update is pretty late but shhh here you go</p><p>-Digital</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0033"><h2>33. XXXIII: Departure from Flame</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>S.M. meets with Briyana on Igni. Meanwhile, Arisu and Carys both make important choices for their futures.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Cerise watched Arisu with a frown on her face. She and December had slipped into combat stances as soon as they saw their former ally, but it wasn't at all a matter of animosity towards Arisu. If anything, it was meant to target Faerner. If Arisu was there, chances were high that Faerner was present as well, and they couldn't risk letting their guard slip as long as he could be nearby. He had already shown himself to be slippery as could be. His existence itself seemed to be a danger to their mission. </p><p>"It doesn't have to be this way, you know," December began. Her gaze was locked with Arisu's, but they were shifting around nervously to try and find out where Faerner was hiding. Her grip on her sword was tight, and her knuckles were turning white under the weight of her own pressure. </p><p>Arisu nodded. "Yeah... I know," they replied. They raised their hands above their head and started to walk closer. "I don't want to fight against you two... I've thought about it, and I've had enough of fighting. Igni is really starting to get on my nerves, and I know that Eros feels the same way. I want out."</p><p>Cerise couldn't help but smile in response. Arisu wore their heart on their sleeve, so there was no way that they were lying. It simply wasn't in their nature, and Cerise had never been happier with them. Her sword fell back to its place by her side, and December sheathed her blade as well. </p><p>"You're with us then?" December questioned solemnly. When Arisu nodded, December reached out one hand, giving Arisu the chance to lock fingers with her. The contact prompted a smile on December's features, and Cerise couldn't help grinning herself. This was the perfect ending, to say the least. </p><p>"Where's Eros? Is Faerner here?" Cerise asked, but she already knew the answers. Eros was undoubtedly with Faerner, and there was no way that Faerner wasn't there. He was hiding somewhere in the shadows with that stupid damn smirk on his face. As soon as he appeared, she was going to strike at him. He deserved to be stabbed, and that was likely an understatement. What an absolute piece of--</p><p>As if on cue, a sigh could be heard from over Cerise's shoulder. She whirled around and saw that Faerner was strolling closer. His hand was firmly closed around Eros' wrist, preventing escape firmly. His gaze was easy as he looked at December, Cerise, and Arisu. "Hello, former generals," Faerner commented, seeming to have already caught onto what Arisu was doing. He had already lost them, and he wasn't going to be getting them back no matter how desperate he got. </p><p>"Faerner," December remarked simply. "How about we end this quickly? We both know that you're going to lose this fight, so you should just go back to the place where you came from. Igni will allow you to come running back, but believe me when I say that I won't be so generous."</p><p>Cerise knew that December was right. No matter how slippery Faerner was, he was never going to have as much power as December. She was a force of nature, and he would never be able to stop her when she set her mind to something. Faerner was going to die if he didn't pull out, and Cerise wouldn't have felt bad in the slightest given everything that Faerner had been responsible for up to that point. </p><p>"You're rather rude, aren't you?" Faerner questioned with a sigh and a shake of his head. "If you were still on Igni, you would have no place to disrespect me. I've been promoted to the leader of the Alight Five. Soon enough, there will be replacements for all of the fighters that you've prompted to abandon Igni."</p><p>"If I was still on Igni, you wouldn't have any power," December pointed out. "I would still be the one in charge, and the Alight Five would be all the better for it, though I suppose it matters little. After all, right now, all of the generals from my generation have left aside from one... Eros." Her gaze shifted to the young man. </p><p>Eros refused to meet her gaze, instead looking down to the place where Faerner's hand closed around his wrist. Eros attempted to pull away, but Faerner forbid escape, and his nails curled dangerously into Eros' arm. The Alight Five general glared at Faerner with all the anger that existed in his body, but Faerner either didn't notice or didn't care. </p><p>"You aren't going to be taking him with you," Faerner said simply. "I have plans for him, you see, and I won't allow you, a traitor, to get in my way. You've caused so much grief to me and the rest of Igni, but I won't allow that to continue. You have done a lot to hurt the planet that you claimed to serve for so many years, but it ends here."</p><p>Faerner used his free hand to create a portal, and he was pushing Eros towards it before the other man had a chance to respond. The rift shut behind Eros, and Cerise could practically hear the feral scream that came from Eros in the seconds that followed. She pointed her sword in Faerner's direction as anger found a home on her face. Faerner was really starting to grate on her last nerve. </p><p>"What are you trying to accomplish?" December asked slowly. "Eros is clearly somehow part of your plan, but we aren't going to let you get away with it. You're weak, and you know it. You manipulate everyone that you come across in an attempt to meet your own goals, and it's absolutely pathetic."</p><p>"You had best consider your words before you dare to call me weak," Faerner told her nonchalantly. "In case you've already forgotten, I am more than capable of murder. I could have killed the heir to Etruna if I had wished, and she only lived because of my own mercies."</p><p>"If I recall correctly, the princess of Etruna broke out of the palace and took River by force," December reminded him. "No matter how you try to twist the situation around to make yourself seem strong, Faerner, I will always know the truth. We will all be aware of how pathetic you are. There's no way for you to escape your own weakness, and soon enough, you'll come to realize that."</p><p>Faerner let out a bitter snarl, and he took a step closer to December with his sharpened fangs showing between his lips. "You're clearly trying to goad me into combat, but it isn't going to work. This is only the beginning of a battle that will bring this world to its knees. This is the first step, and as soon as it is taken, there won't be a way for you to escape. You have no idea what you're getting into."</p><p>Faerner raised one hand above his head, and a manic smile crossed his face. A portal appeared from the ground beneath him, and he vanished through it a moment later. Cerise frowned to herself as he disappeared, knowing that there was no way for them to pursue him. He had gotten away, plain and simple. </p><p>"Damn it all," December murmured before sheathing her sword. "I think that he retreated because he realized that this was a fight he could not win. Faerner has immense magical power, but he's a coward. He doesn't know when to admit weakness, and even if he's at a disadvantage, he refuses to say that he could potentially be in the wrong. How pathetic."</p><p>"This isn't surprising in the slightest," Cerise pointed out. "He made his choice. He's preventing Eros from making his, but that isn't going to last much longer. He's keeping Eros away from us because he knows exactly what Eros is going to do when he's given the chance to decide what to do with his future."</p><p>"Speaking of people making choices..." December turned to face Arisu with a light smile. "Welcome back." She extended one hand for a shake, and Arisu eagerly followed up on it with a wide grin. The concern that had once been in Arisu's eyes had disappeared with Faerner through the portal a few moments before. </p><p>"We should go back," Cerise declared. "I want to know if Faerner decided to take all of the soldiers with him when he retreated. If not, then we're going to have quite the large task on our hands."</p><p>December nodded her agreement, and she started walking in the direction of Acadia. Cerise trailed after her, but Arisu hesitated at first. December turned her head over her shoulder to get Arisu's attention once again, prompting the third former general to follow her. They did so after a moment of standing still in shock. Arisu seemed to understand what December was saying without the need for words. After all, what was the point in speaking when they already understood one another's intentions perfectly?</p><p>~~~~~</p><p>S.M. remained close to Mina and Kanoa the whole way back to Igni. She glanced around the area cautiously after the light of the portal faded away. She was met with only darkness in the wake of the teleportation, and she could barely make out what was around her. Kanoa stumbled at first from surprise, and Mina stuck out one arm for Kanoa to cling to before the other girl could collapse. Kanoa gave her a brief smile, and Mina returned the favor before her attention shifted up to Briyana. </p><p>The woman was standing before the trio of girls with a frown on her face. However, she didn't seem to be upset with the younger girls in the slightest, instead concentrating only on the subject at hand. "It's good to see you," Briyana began. </p><p>"What is it that you want from us?" S.M. questioned, not fully understanding Briyana's intentions quite yet. Her stomach was doing flips at her core, and she doubted that she would ever be able to calm it without the words of Briyana to reassure her. Her vision was still distorted with light from the teleportation, and she could barely make out what was standing in the shadows around her. </p><p>"This is about the death of Octavia Irikai," Briyana replied, and S.M. felt her heart rise into her throat. She was going to be sick. What if Briyana wasn't an ally after all? Had they walked directly into a trap when Briyana asked for their presence?</p><p>"Starlight above," S.M. muttered in irritation, sinking into a combat stance. Mina placed a hand on her shoulder to calm her, but there was only so much that she could do to ease her sister's worries. </p><p>"I don't think that you did it," Briyana declared upon noticing S.M.'s aggravated panic. "I think that you're innocent, merely acting as a scapegoat by a greater figure who wants to take advantage of our outrage."</p><p>S.M. tried to force herself to speak in response to Briyana's words, but she couldn't form the syllables. Briyana continued instead of waiting for a reply. "I believe that the king is involved with this," Briyana declared. "He was rather fast to find what he believed to be the truth behind Octavia's death, and he's barely investigated it at all. Surely you must have noticed this as well, yes?"</p><p>S.M. nodded slowly, and the tension in her shoulders began to melt away. "You could certainly say that we've come to a similar conclusion," she murmured. It wasn't as if she and the rest of her group had been able to search much. They knew that the body was found underground, but when they had tried to find the space, they were attacked by Eros and Faerner. Carys had nearly been killed because of their secret invasion of Igni. That had immediately killed any sense of spirit they would have had to go back and keep looking around, but it was also impossible to come to important conclusions from afar given the situation. To put it simply, S.M. thought of it as a complete mess. </p><p>Briyana cleared her throat before extending one hand to S.M. with a light smile. "I should introduce myself. You can call me Briyana. Briyana Frazier. I'm the leader of the resistance here on Igni, and we want your help to overthrow the king and change the world," Briyana explained. </p><p>S.M. looked up at Briyana with wide eyes before returning the shake. Briyana shifted her attention to Mina and Kanoa afterwards, and she spoke a moment later. "We don't believe that you're responsible for Octavia's death. After all, you're partially leath, and that has harmed you. Octavia was advocating for people like you, so why would you want her dead?" Briyana pointed out. </p><p>S.M. nodded her agreement, not knowing how to answer that question. Something about Briyana's presence was oddly terrifying, but she didn't know how to describe it. "We're planning a coup soon," Briyana admitted. "We're going to be taking the king off his throne and reclaiming it in the name of the leaths who he has walked on to reach this point. It's time for him to be taken away from the power that he's clung to for so long. You have a reason to hate him, so I figured that you would be more than interested in my offer."</p><p>S.M. glanced over to Mina, and she was surprised to see her sister's eyes on fire with a passion that could only be described as pure hatred. "I want to get back at him," Mina admitted. "He's done too much to be forgiven for, and I'm sure that I don't even know the full extent of it."</p><p>"Millennia is going to war with Igni," Kanoa said, but it didn't seem to lead into much of anything else. Instead, it was more of a statement of fact, and S.M. knew with tragic certainty that it was true. "For all we know, the rest of the planet is going to be allied with the rebellion. It's not as if Millennia will have a reason to fight against the resistance. The enemy of my enemy is my friend."</p><p>S.M. considered her words for a moment, closing her eyes in contemplation. She knew that Kanoa had a point, and the rest of the rebellion was likely counting on her to join. She couldn't see many soldiers in the area, so they were likely lacking in troops. S.M. was far from being an experienced soldier even with her battles in the Thanatos War. There was a very real possibility that she could die in the coming battles. </p><p>And yet, the alternative was to wait for Surion or Faerner to have enough of twiddling their thumbs. That outcome would inevitably result in her death, and S.M. was too bitter at her grandfather and his loyal followers to go down without a fight. If she was really going to die or otherwise suffer, she was going to do it with a bang, battling against the world tooth and nail until it was over. </p><p>"I'm in," S.M. agreed with a firm nod. She could see Mina watching her out of the corner of her eye, but she didn't break her gaze with Briyana. She knew what she had to do, and she wasn't going to be backing down. As long as Surion and Faerner were trying to cause problems, she was going to attempt to stop them. Given her options, this was the best choice for her. She was sure that others would wind up agreeing as soon as she returned to Alitia too. </p><p>"Allow me to catch you all up on how everything runs around here," Briyana began, gesturing for S.M., Mina, and Kanoa to follow her. S.M. hesitated for a moment before trailing after the other three, and she prayed that her friends weren't worrying too much back on Millennia. If all went according to plan, she would be able to return there as soon as possible to help them with the tail end of the fight. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Carys had to admit that it was lonely on Etruna without Helena there. </p><p>She was sitting in her room within the palace and staring up at the ceiling. Up until a few minutes prior, she had been in a meeting about the future of her planet. She was expected to take over as soon as she was old enough, after all, and her parents wanted her to be prepared. Carys had gone along with it simply because she knew how stubborn her mother could be when she wanted something, but she was exhausted after listening to so many people talk at once about subjects that concerned her future. </p><p>Helena hadn't ever been invited to meetings like that, and Carys knew it. Helena was the weaker of the two siblings, so their parents saw no reason to invite her. Still, Helena had been kind enough to stay by her sister's side even though there were countless other places that she would have rather been. Carys hadn't realized how much she appreciated Helena's assistance for all those years until after she had been captured and forced to hide beneath the palace of Igni, but she couldn't go back to living in the dark after her revelation. This left her watching the ceiling of her bedroom and wishing that her sister was there with her. </p><p>Helena had decided to stay at Alitia mostly out of a matter of necessity, claiming that it would be easier to fend off an attack if she was at the school. Others were counting on her presence, and she said that she couldn't let them down when they were so close to a war taking place. When she wished Carys a lovely vacation, there had been a wide smile on her face, and Carys couldn't shake the thought that Helena hadn't seemed that genuine when discussing their parents in years. </p><p>Carys couldn't blame Helena for being happy to not have to come along. Helena wasn't ever treated well by their parents, and she didn't deserve to deal with them over each school break. Carys hadn't mentioned Helena yet to their parents out of curiosity about how long it would take them to notice that her sister hadn't come back with her. They hadn't asked about Helena at all, and Carys couldn't shake the bitter feeling that lived within her skin at the knowledge that her parents were being so willingly cruel. She understood completely why Helena wouldn't want to accompany her back to Etruna, and she felt sick upon realizing how much Helena had been suffering at home when she was too ignorant to see it. </p><p>Carys wanted nothing more than to get away from Etruna to greet her sister and the rest of their team. She would have given everything to find a way to escape everything to go back to Alitia. Her parents were already driving her up a wall with the things that they weren't noticing, and Carys was so close to reaching her limit that she could practically taste it when she shut her eyes. The foul sensation of anger filled her mouth when she allowed herself to imagine it, and she wished that she could be with her sister. Helena was deserving of care, and Carys was going to destroy anybody who dared to insinuate otherwise after all that Helena had gone through. </p><p>She didn't realize that her phone was off to the side of her bed until it vibrated. Her eyes shot open, and her arm was sent out to fumble blindly for the device. As soon as her fingers closed around the phone, Carys pulled it in tight. She slid her finger over the power button and cringed at the light that overwhelmed her eyes. She was going to get a headache if she didn't stop looking at her phone soon, and she knew it. </p><p>Carys' potential for a headache was the last thing on her mind a few moments later though, and she let out a strangled yelp as she forced herself upright. Tanith's message was poised at the top of her screen, and Carys thought that it had no right to appear as innocent as it did. Tanith was talking about Alitia being under attack, and yet, the message looked so simple, as if she was asking about how the weather was on Etruna rather than talking about how war was going to be breaking out soon. </p><p>
  <em>How has this become my life?</em>
</p><p>Carys practically threw herself to her feet, and she glanced around her room for her bags. She was thankful that she hadn't unpacked many of her things in the week that she had been on Etruna. She had wound up too bitter to get fully comfortable, angered at her parents for the way they dared to treat Helena, and her bags were left tightly packed together as a result. She grabbed everything that she could carry and started moving towards the door. Somebody was going to be around there to help her get back to Alitia. They just had to be there. She needed someone to help her. </p><p>Carys had to practically throw herself across the palace before she ran into somebody. Unfortunately for her though, the person in question was the last woman that she would have ever wanted to see, and she found herself glaring up at Dolores Palpatine while balancing her things. </p><p>"Carys, what are you doing?" her mother questioned with a frown. "You look so flustered. Is there something wrong?"</p><p>"I need to get back to Alitia," Carys explained first, her voice clipped and filled with far more anger than she had expected. She had been trying so hard to keep others from realizing how enraged she was with her parents, but it seemed that the truth was intent on finding a way out no matter how hard she tried to hide it. </p><p>Dolores frowned down at her daughter and shook her head. "Why would you want to go back there when you still have a few days left of your break? You should stay here and enjoy the time that we have left," she told Carys, cupping one hand around her daughter's cheek to force Carys to look up at her. Dolores' eyes told Carys that she wasn't going to be tolerating any arguments from her daughter, but luckily for Carys, she wasn't going to be dealing with any opposition either. </p><p>"I have to get back to Alitia!" Carys declared again, but her voice was far louder this time. She couldn't see herself, but Carys didn't think she needed to. She knew that her body was shaking with rage at her mother's behavior. She didn't understand how she had been so quick to ignore her sister's suffering simply because she thought it didn't pertain to her, and she would never be able to shove herself back into that box. She absolutely hated that her sister had suffered this way for so many years, but she wasn't going to allow it to continue any longer than it already had. </p><p>"Why? You still have a few days to spend time with us," Dolores frowned, crossing her arms as she pulled her hand away from Carys' face. "Do you not want to be around us, Carys?"</p><p>"I want to be with my sister!" Carys shouted, shocked at the way that she raised one foot before stamping it down against the ground. It seemed so childish, but she couldn't even bring herself to care. All that mattered was getting away from Etruna as soon as she could manage. </p><p>"Your sister?" Dolores echoed, her eyes suddenly wide. Carys couldn't tell if the shock was from Carys mentioning that Helena existed or perhaps something else. Had Dolores truly forgotten that Helena existed? There was no way that was the case, right? For better or worse, Dolores had spent a lot of time in previous years talking to Carys and Helena about which of them was the superior among them. </p><p>"Yes!" Carys confirmed. "Something is going on there, and I have to get back to her! Please, make a portal for me, because if you don't do it, I'm going to find somebody who will! Don't think that I'm going to be passive when I know that something is going on! I won't stand by any longer than I already have!"</p><p>"You have to meet with a few important nobles from the planet this afternoon," Dolores reminded Carys, her gaze suddenly growing hardened even at the sight of her favorite child. "You can't leave right now when there are so many people counting on you here, Carys."</p><p>"People are counting on me there too," Carys said confidently. "If you're not going to help me, then fine. I don't need your assistance. I'm going to find a way to get back to Alitia myself, and as soon as I do, you're going to be sorry that you didn't help me. Goodbye, Mother."</p><p>Dolores was left stuck in place as soon as she heard Carys' bold proclamation, and she watched silently as Carys disappeared around the corner. Carys didn't bother looking over her shoulder to see how surprised her mother was, instead, choosing to make her way towards the palace's library. There would be supplies and books there to explain to her how to execute a teleportation spell. She needed to get back there, and she didn't care about how many tantrums her parents threw over this. </p><p>Carys set down her things before starting to flick through a book that she recognized. A copy of it existed at Alitia, and it would easily be able to tell her how to pull off the spell to get back to Alitia. There were a few supplies for teleportation shoved hastily into the book, making it seem far thicker than it actually was. Carys didn't care, and she made her way to the familiar page before taking a deep breath and starting to perform the ritual. </p><p>Carys didn't notice as Dolores appeared in the room, earning the attention of all those who were in the library as the doors slammed open. People were used to Carys being noisy in the library, but Dolores, known for her perfect demeanor regardless of the space, certainly caught others by surprise when she dared to be loud. Dolores' eyes were fixated solely on Carys, and she began to storm towards her daughter. All senses of shock had disappeared, and only rage remained. </p><p>Carys would not be deterred though, and she was able to finish off the spell as soon as Dolores arrived in her vicinity. Carys flicked her wrist up, and a rift opened beneath her. She vanished into the ground, and the clatter of her suitcases slamming into each other could be heard just before the portal closed completely. Dolores watched as the rift slid shut, and all she could do was glare at the place where her daughter had vanished from. Anger began to course through her body, but she didn't dare to follow Carys. All she could do was seethe, appalled that her daughter had disobeyed her. </p><p>For the first time ever, Carys hadn't listened, and Dolores didn't know what to do. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Luce had been surprised to see the soldiers pull away from the barrier outside Alitia. A portal had appeared around the school, and everyone was making a mad dash for it. Luce watched silently before closing her eyes, and light splashed over her body. When it disappeared, she was left in her regular form, and Luce couldn't help but feel like she was far more tired than she had any right to be. She had barely done any fighting because of the shield, and yet her body felt like lead. She wound up blaming adrenaline, and she let out a heavy, slow sigh. </p><p>Sophia, Helena, and Tanith approached Luce soon afterwards, and they all looked up at each other. S.M. still wasn't back, and the air was thick with unspoken tension about how they wished she would arrive any moment then. Luce felt as if her mouth had been filled with bile at the thought that something could have happened. </p><p>"Hey! Luce!" </p><p>She turned upon hearing a call of her name. Cessair was running towards her, clearly flustered and exhausted. Her cheeks were flushed pink from exertion, and Cessair wound up leaning over onto her knees, hands pressed against her legs. Luce wrapped an arm around her shoulders and waited as Cessair slowly pulled herself up to her full height again. </p><p>"What's going on?" Luce questioned, a frown on her face. Cessair was clearly overwhelmed by something, but Luce couldn't say for the life of her what it was. Her stomach twisted nervously. </p><p>"Arisu has left Igni," Cessair explained. "Faerner was the one responsible for this attack. A report came in, and I heard it from the rest of the staff while Headmistress Satim was fighting and trying to keep up the barrier."</p><p>Luce smiled to herself. "That's good to hear..." she murmured. Relief flooded through her body, but she was overwhelmed with anger a moment later. Damn it, she wanted Faerner to get an axe through the gut for all the grief he was responsible for. </p><p>"We should go and see what else is going on around here," Sophia suggested. She had reverted back to normal, and a tired smile had appeared on her features. "There are a lot of people here that I want to check on, and I want to make sure that nobody has been hurt."</p><p>Luce nodded her agreement, and she assumed that the other three girls did the same. Her body started moving without her permission, and a shiver ran up her spine. This was really happening. There was no denying it. She was marching off to war all over again, and the consequences weren't going to be enjoyable to cope with in the slightest. Then again, war never was enjoyable, and she would never be able to change that. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The Carys segment was so fun to type wow</p><p>-Digital</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0034"><h2>34. XXXIV: In Search of Stability</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>S.M. arrives back on Millennia as Eros struggles on Igni due to Faerner's interference.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When S.M. finished her meeting with Briyana, she, Mina, and Kanoa were teleported back to Millennia. It was clear that a few hours had passed since she first left the school behind, and the sun was slowly starting to sink over the horizon. S.M., Mina, and Kanoa had been speaking with Briyana for quite some time about strategies for the upcoming coup. Everything on Igni was going to be changing in the blink of an eye, and S.M. wanted to be ready for it. She was looking forward to being able to kick her grandfather out of his position of power. He had been the strongest person on the planet for far too long, and S.M. was ready to take matters into her own hands. </p><p>S.M. was slow in making her way back to her room. She hadn't been fighting for hours, but she felt as if she had been. Her entire body felt heavy, and she could have sworn that she saw the world spin around her when she lost her concentration. Her eyes were trying to slip shut, but she managed to force them open as she shuffled her way back towards her dorm room, praying the others were still there. </p><p>When S.M. arrived, she pushed the door open, and she saw that Luce was sitting on the couch in the main area, her head propped backwards against the cushions of the couch as she stared at the ceiling. When she noticed that S.M. was there, she pulled herself into an upright position and faced her companion. "Hey," she greeted, her eyes wide. S.M. cringed inwardly at how messy Luce's hair had become, and she watched as the enchantress of light stroked one hand through her haphazard tresses. "Where did you get off to?"</p><p>S.M. glanced around the rest of the room, trying to figure out who all was there. The light was on in Sophia and Tanith's room, and she suspected that both of them were back. She was surprised to see that the light was on in Carys and Iris' room as well. S.M. had been sure that neither one of them would be back for another few days, and yet, one of them was most certainly there. </p><p>When Luce noticed that S.M. was staring, she explained. "Carys came back a few hours ago," she told S.M. simply. "She said that she heard Tanith's message about an attack, and she wanted to make sure that everyone was safe. She and Helena have been practically glued to the hip ever since."</p><p>S.M. couldn't help it when her jaw dropped in sudden surprise. "Seriously?" she asked. When Luce nodded, S.M. released a sigh. "Damn... I don't know how I thought Carys would react, but I certainly wasn't thinking of that."</p><p>"Carys has been acting really different ever since she got back," Luce continued. "I think that there was something that happened back on Etruna that made her think about how close she and Helena are. Of course, I don't have any evidence of this, but... I don't know. You can put the pieces together."</p><p>S.M. nodded slowly. "Yeah... I guess so," she muttered, but it was more of just wanting something to say rather than having anything meaningful to communicate. Luce seemed to understand, and she didn't ask about it. Her eyes closed once again as she tilted her head to the ceiling just as before. </p><p>"The attack was taken care of, but we aren't able to deny it anymore," Luce suddenly said. "There's a war starting now, and we're just going to have to deal with it. I wish that wasn't the case, but here we are. There's nothing we can do about it."</p><p>S.M. sighed. She should have known given the circumstances, but she still hated the idea. Then again, the war would give her the perfect chance to mention her discussion with Briyana. If she was wanting to change Igni for the better, she was going to need help, and there was nothing better for Millennia to do than help in out with the rebellion. </p><p>"I've got some important information to share," S.M. told Luce, looking up at the ceiling just like Luce was doing. "As soon as we get the chance, we all need to talk about Igni."</p><p>Luce nodded her agreement, but she didn't make any efforts to move. S.M. couldn't blame her in the slightest given all that had happened that day. The two were silent afterwards, and S.M. tried to think of how the hell she was supposed to word her findings for the rest of her team. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Helena was reading a book on her bed, her legs curled up close as she hugged the open tome towards her body. Her eyes scanned across the page, but every once in a while, her gaze darted upwards to where Carys was sitting on her own bed. Carys had invited Helena to hang out with her for the rest of the day, and Helena had been happy to accept given that she had been apart from her sister for the week before. Still, Carys' sudden clingy behavior was most certainly worrying her, and she couldn't help but wonder if something had happened on Etruna to make Carys so anxious about leaving her sister's side. </p><p>"I'm sorry."</p><p>Helena looked up when she heard Carys speak, her eyes wide and confused. Carys was looking down at the bed before her, and a bitter smile was on her face. "I talked to Mother just before coming here. I said that I wanted to help you out, and... She acted like she didn't even remember who you were. I'm sorry that you've had to deal with being ignored for so long. I'm sorry for being part of it. I know that I never would have realized how terribly I was treating you if not for my capture on Igni, so... In a way, I guess I'm thankful for it. I don't think I'll ever be able to go back to acting like you're dirt."</p><p>Helena sincerely had no idea what she was supposed to say to that. She stared at Carys and tried to fumble for words, but she couldn't figure anything out that sounded right. In the end, she settled on something simple. "It's how you were raised," Helena told her, unsure as to if that was even the right sentence that would reassure her. </p><p>"But that shouldn't be an excuse," Carys frowned. "I should have realized that the way they were treating you was wrong. I should have seen that I was treating you like garbage, but I didn't see it for so many years. I let my ego get the better of me because everybody told me I was great for so much of my life, and... I wish that had never happened. I wish I had been there for you all those years."</p><p>Helena's expression softened, and she shut her book before rising to her full height. She set the volume aside. "I'm not mad at you," she said softly. "I mean it. I know that you didn't know better, and I can't hate you for it. I'm glad that you're starting to stick up for me though. You didn't know better when we were kids, but our parents are a different story. They were always aware of what they were doing, and they never bothered to give it a second thought. That's true cruelty, but you're nothing like that. I'm glad that you're starting to recognize just how wrong they were to act this way though."</p><p>"Mother was so mad," Carys laughed hollowly. "I told her that I was going to come and help you out, and she said that I couldn't because of some important meetings or whatever. I told her that I didn't care about anything like that since you were more important, and then I ran off. I found some supplies for a teleportation spell in the library, and then I came back here. I didn't get here in time to help out with the fight, but... I'm still happy to be here. It was uncomfortable to be back home without you."</p><p>"It was?" Helena asked in surprise, her eyes wide as saucers as she looked over in her sister's direction. She knew that Carys was getting better about the way she treated others, but this was an entirely new level. Carys had always enjoyed being on Etruna so much, and Helena had never considered her impact on her sister to be such a large one. </p><p>Carys nodded. "Yeah. I always wanted to spend more time with you when we were kids, but then that disappeared as I got older. I didn't realize how lonely I was to not have you in my life anymore, and then... I started seeing it all over again. I wish we didn't drift apart the way that we did, but... I guess we can't change that now. All we can do is make sure that our next set of actions is more favorable than this."</p><p>"I suppose so," Helena murmured. "Thank you for telling me all of this, Carys. I didn't realize that I had such an impact on you, and... I guess it's really nice to hear about. I always liked being around you, but I wasn't sure about if you returned the sentiment. It's good to hear about."</p><p>"I'm not going to go back to that ever again," Carys said conclusively. "I mean it. You've been hurting a lot in the past few years because I let us grow apart, but we aren't on Etruna anymore. I don't care about how mad our parents get. I want to spend time with you, and I think that you deserve better than the hand that you were dealt by our parents. I don't care if anyone gets upset because I'm 'too good' for you. They're just wrong, and they deserve to know it."</p><p>Helena smiled to herself, and she rubbed at her eyes when she realized that tears were forming. "I'm excited to get closer to you too... I mean, I was always happiest when we were younger and had the chance to spend time together. Even if it usually ended with you being dragged off, I had fun. Now, we can enjoy being around one another like nothing ever got in the way in the first place."</p><p>"Yeah, exactly," Carys agreed with a firm nod. "Warning in advance that our mom might try to contact us out of anger for me storming off, but... Honestly, I think that's her problem. She shouldn't have put me on a pedestal like that, and she shouldn't have forced you away from me either. She's the one at fault for all of this."</p><p>"We all agree on that one," Helena laughed. She scrubbed at her face once again with the back of her hand. "I think that we've found a nice little family with the rest of our team around here too. I mean, there's everyone in our dorm, and on top of that, we have a few friends elsewhere too. Cessair, Nebula, and Anneliese are here for us too, and I think that they're all more than happy to treat us better than our parents. They act like we're people rather than just sources of power to be manipulated for someone else's greater gain."</p><p>"It seems that we've really come into our own since arriving at Alitia," Carys laughed. "How nice to think about... I don't know what we're going to be doing next, but for now, we're okay. Our parents are going to be really upset when we next go back to them, but I don't care about that right now. I think that it's their problem, and they can just deal with it for once. After the way they treated you, I would be happy to not see them for a few months. I still can't believe it took me so long to figure out everything that's been going on. I feel really foolish looking back on it with this new perspective."</p><p>"It's okay now though," Helena assured her with a small smile. "I mean it. You see now what you did wrong, and that's what counts. You're going to make the most of this and change everything for the better. We're going to make sure that they don't bother us in the future."</p><p>"I like that," Carys confessed. "I know that at one point, I would have been super freaked out over how our parents would react to me being a rebel, but right now, I just can't bring myself to care. That's a problem for them, and I don't care anymore. For the time being, let's focus on what's going on right now. We have to think about what's to come in our fight against Igni."</p><p>Helena sighed. Carys had a point there, and none of them were able to escape the truth that there was war coming. It couldn't be kept at bay for any longer than it already had, and the invasion earlier that day had been the final straw. The Palpatine parents didn't matter when compared to the gravity of the war. </p><p>"Yeah," Helena agreed. There was nothing else she could say. "The rest of the world is more important right now."</p><p>The words left unspoken told Helena that the war wasn't going to stop her and Carys from getting closer to one another. The past wasn't going to be holding them back ever again, and the war would never be able to pull them apart no matter how hard it tried. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Eros was starting to get really damn sick of this. </p><p>He was sitting in the room where the Alight Five spent much of their waiting time as he rubbed at his shoulder. There was a notable bruise forming on the outside of his arm from the place where he had hit the ground after Faerner had thrown him into the portal back on Millennia. He was tired of Faerner treating him like he was nothing more than garbage, and all he could do was stare at the place where his skin darkened from the impact. Even if he had still been able to access his axe, he wouldn't have been able to use it. He wouldn't be able to use any weapon until after he was healed or recovered on his own time. </p><p>Eros absolutely hated Faerner with everything that he was. He was so used to despising mages in power because of who he was, but Faerner was on a whole new level. Eros had joined the army originally because he wanted to defeat the mages who were oppressing the innocent leaths of Igni. He didn't like spending time with mages in the slightest, and he never had. He knew what horrors they were capable of when they were given too much power without being held accountable for their actions. Faerner had to be one of the worst offenders of this, and Eros wanted nothing more than to loop his hands around that monster's neck and just start squeezing. </p><p>Eros' enmity for mages ran far deeper than most people realized. It had started many years ago when he hadn't yet been made into a general. He was simply a leath living on the streets, completely indistinguishable from all the others in his situation. His father had died young while working for mages to try and earn a scrap of their wealth. That left Eros alone with his mother, and he could have sworn that woman was a worker of miracles. Even when life got dark and hopeless, she was always able to pull it together so that they were able to survive for just a little bit longer. They were hanging on tightly to empty hope, and yet, as long as she was there, Eros felt as if it might be alright. </p><p>His mother had worked in a noble house for some of the most famous mages on all of Igni. It was hard work, and it paid terribly. From a young age, Eros grew used to seeing his mother walk in after hours with pain etched on her face as she tried her best to seem as if she wasn't hurt. Still, he saw the bruises despite her best efforts, and he knew just how monstrous her employers could be. </p><p>Then he learned of it firsthand. Eros had been forced to work for that same household as soon as he was old enough, and he found himself snarling in anger from the young age of fifteen, too small to be hit for minor mistakes, at the way that everyone was being treated. His sense of justice was still strong in those days, and he shook with his own rage when the days got to be particularly difficult. How could anyone stand to be such a monster? He simply didn't understand it. </p><p>Eros still remembered the day his mother died. It had been as a result of the pain she suffered as a servant of the mage nobility. The stress had grown to be too much for her, and she collapsed after coming home one day. Eros remembered seeing the bruises all over her body, screaming out for help that he knew would never come as her soul left the land of the living behind. He was alone, and he knew it. </p><p>That should have been his first clue that the world was cruel, but he had gotten past that point a long time ago, so he was instead filled with anger as he rose to his feet with only vengeance in mind. He hated the mages for the way that they treated their workers, and he was going to make sure that they knew it. Eros had heard that the owner of the house possessed a battle axe that could create fire for anyone to manipulate regardless of their magic. He thought it was the perfect time to change his own fat. He thought of it as the time for reparations, and he planned it all out. </p><p>He hadn't been intending on going towards murder, but it simply ended that way. He remembered just being so <em>angry</em> that these people could kill both of his parents and continue on with life as if nothing of value had been lost. As soon as he managed to sneak inside and grab the axe, his pyromania and lust for blood got the better of him, and when he walked out of the mansion that day, everyone that he had once worked for was dead. The leath servants didn't sell him out, not seeming to understand fully what could have happened to their employers. Eros enlisted in the army soon afterwards, understanding that violence was the only answer to his screaming pleas. If he wanted to survive, he needed money, and the army of Igni was the best place for him to find the coin that he needed. </p><p>From there, it all seemed to spiral. Eros pretended to be a mage in a crowd of leaths, and he moved through the ranks seamlessly. He never would have been able to do so if he had said that he was a leath, and he knew it better than most. Every single day tasted like bitter treachery against the people who had done so much to keep him, a leath, alive. Still, he pressed on, knowing that he couldn't be caught up in his own ideals. He wanted to live, and that had to be his priority. </p><p>The Alight Five came closest to being Eros' family in the aftermath of his mother's death. At the time, he thought December was a mage, and yet, he felt an odd sense of camaraderie under her command. These days, knowing that she was a leath, Eros realized just what had drawn him to her side. </p><p>Even if the others were all mages, they seemed to understand Igni in a dark way that nobody else did. December's actions were always guarded and distant, and she passed on her creed to her daughter, leaving Cerise detached and constantly ready for combat. Arisu was an orphan who had run out of luck a long time ago, leaving them to survive only by pure grit and determination while smiling their way through the pain. River had been practically tortured in the name of making their magic stronger, but it was never enough to satisfy everyone else. They comprehended one another in ways no one else could ever hope to understand, and Eros knew it well. </p><p>Faerner was everything that he hated about Igni. </p><p>Faerner was slimy and deceitful, showing his hate on his sleeve while still managing to get away with it as long as he used that slippy grin of his to mask how terribly he treated others. He used the power that he possessed by nature, and it was always manipulated so that he would be able to escape any crimes ever pinned over his head. Faerner made Eros want to be sick, and he wished that his axe hadn't been stolen by those damn kids so long ago so that he could wedge it inside of the asshole's skull. </p><p>Eros had to get out. He was tired of Igni, and he couldn't stay any longer than he already had. He had a chance to get away, and Faerner had been depriving him of it, but that couldn't last for any longer. Eros needed to get away, and he was willing to do anything to escape Faerner and all of his disgusting choices. </p><p>"Come with me."</p><p>Eros looked up to see Faerner standing in the doorway, and he returned the other man's loose smirk with a spiteful glare. Faerner let out a laugh, but the sound was hollow and disgustingly sly. "You don't need to look so upset. I'm simply here to tell you that the king wants to see you," Faerner said, but there was something different about him. A thousand alarm bells were screaming inside of Eros' head, and yet, he found himself rising to his feet and following. Until he could find a way out, he had to play nice. </p><p>It was the only way he was going to survive. Eros had learned the way of the world years ago, and he was willing to do whatever it took to ensure that he was able to breathe once again the following day. </p><p>As Eros followed Faerner through the halls of the castle, he continued to rub at his arm, and he wondered if his scowl was a permanent part of his face after all the glaring he had been doing. Still, he wasn't given much time to ponder it, as they arrived at the throne room soon afterwards. Faerner gestured for him to walk inside, and Eros' skin crawled at the way Faerner smirked at him. He was planning something, and Eros knew that it wasn't a good thing. It had to be something more than the blackmail that Eros had come to be so used to ages ago. </p><p>Surion was perched upon the throne, his face twisted into something angry and sinister. "Eros," he said suddenly, spitting out the words like they were drenched in poison. "It has come to my attention that you have been keeping a secret from me and the planet of Igni as a whole."</p><p>Eros was about to ask what he could have meant, but he heard Faerner chuckle from beside him. His eyes shot open, and he realized just what had happened. Faerner had grown tired of blackmailing him, so he simply decided to reveal the truth to the world. He had been betrayed, and the entire planet was going to know his secret in the blink of an eye. </p><p>He was going to die. </p><p>Surion's eyes told of murder and unforetold hatred as he rose to his feet. "You shouldn't have done that," he declared firmly, and Eros felt like he was going to be sick. Of course he knew that he shouldn't have dared to lie about something so significant to the king of Igni and his court of jesters. However, he had found survival to be more important than honesty, but he realized that this had been the wrong choice as soon as he saw the vitriol burning in Surion's gaze. </p><p>"You should have just told everyone yourself," Faerner said, and his voice was oddly faint despite how close he was. That damn smile was plastered on his face once again, and Eros had to resist the urge to sink his fist into the space between Faerner's eyes. "Since you decided to keep it secret, I had to tell the king on my own, and he is not happy at all with the way that you decided to deceive everyone so openly. You should have been honest, Eros..."</p><p>"You're nothing more than scum," Surion spat out. He snapped his fingers, and fire appeared on top of one of his fingers. It quickly grew into a raging inferno, and Eros' eyes widened out of shock and terror. This was where it all ended. He had kept up the ruse for as long as he could, but there was no way he was going to be able to get out of this alive. All of his mother's sacrificing for the sake of his life would be for nothing, and there was nothing he would be able to do about it. </p><p>So he ran. </p><p>Eros tilted on one foot before sprinting away. He wasn't sure of what was happening behind him, but he was sure that he had to find a way to get away. Surion wasn't going to allow him to escape so easily, but Eros was going to have to figure something out if he wanted to live. Like most people in his station of the world, Eros did want to survive, and he wasn't going to allow someone as monstrous and disgusting as Surion get in his way. If Faerner came after him, Eros was going to beat the living crap out of him for daring to double-cross someone who already had nothing left to lose. Maybe that was his point. It still enraged Eros with a fire that burned with something primal deep inside of his stomach. </p><p>Eros could hear general screaming behind him, but he wasn't able to bring himself to stop and see what the source of the noise was. He had reached the entrance to the palace, somehow managing to beat the guards who were trying to apprehend him. They were confused leaths, too fearful and worried for themselves to act in the name of what they knew was right. Eros had grown used to the feeling over the years, and he couldn't even blame them for not wanting to fight against the superior figures that decided whether or not they lived or died. He simply passed them by as his lungs burned from exertion. Eros knew how to fight, but his training never could have prepared him for running full speed away from the palace of Igni. </p><p>He slammed the front doors of the castle behind him, and the last thing he saw was pure rage on Faerner's face before the barrier was in his way. Eros would have relished in seeing Faerner so hopeless had he not been running for his damn life, and he forced himself to keep moving. He didn't know where he was supposed to go, but he was positive that he had to get away from there. </p><p>Eros let the world blur by around him, not bothering to bring it into focus until he found something familiar. It was an alleyway, the same one that he could recall chasing Caius into not that long ago. Briyana had found them there, and Eros almost found himself pulling for the miracle that she would appear once again to save his sorry ass. He had agreed that her resistance was a good idea, claiming that revolution was just what Igni needed. He could only pray that his loyalty to her would be rewarded with something as kind as salvation. </p><p>Sure enough, the entrance to the space opened up, and a hand reached out to latch on firmly to the collar of Eros' shirt. He was a strong man, as muscular as he needed to be in order to wield his axe, but the hand in question was still able to toss him around as if he was nothing. The entrance slammed shut behind him, and he heard the distant clattering of soldiers outside. The area was too dark for Eros to latch onto much more than that, but he didn't find himself caring too much about it. </p><p>Instead, Eros turned around, frowning to himself as he met eyes with Briyana. Her gaze was solemn and pulled tight, and she seemed to understand just what had happened to Eros without even needing to ask. Chances were that she had put the pieces together between the general screaming of the Ignite soldiers and how flustered he looked. He was glad that he didn't have to explain, as he wasn't sure if he would have been able to get through the conversation without exploding with anger. </p><p>As soon as he got the chance, he was going to kill Faerner, consequences be damned. </p><p>Neither Eros nor Briyana said anything for that long moment, and they simply stared at one another, silently examining the potential choices that the other could make. Briyana was the first one to give in, and she took a step back before gesturing for Eros to follow her deeper into the hideout. Eros hesitated before doing so, trying not to listen to the way his heart pounded furiously in his chest. He had no idea what he was going to be doing next, but he was sure of one thing without a shadow of a doubt. </p><p>Life would never be the same again. </p><p>And maybe that was okay. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Faerner is just the worst isn't he</p><p>-Digital</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0035"><h2>35. XXXV: Acceptance and Balance</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Cerise finally reaches out to her birth parents as Briyana and Eros prepare for the revolution.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When life began to continue on as before, there was an unspoken sense of heaviness and worry. The declaration of combat had earned unease from everyone, but there was nobody who dared to voice it. Igni hadn't attacked since the initial invasion where the declaration was made two weeks prior. Classes continued at Alitia, and the rest of the Millennium Six, for better or worse. It was as if they were being balanced on the edge of a cliff, knowing what awaited them on either side but not knowing how to walk away or keep from crumbling away from the ground. No matter what anyone said or did, they understood that there was no way for them to escape what was to come without injury. </p><p>Luce spent practically every single day tense and nervous. She set down her materials in her room after finishing classes, rubbing at some sweat that had gathered on her forehead. She let out a heavy sigh before reaching for a nearby water bottle she had placed on her desk the day before and unscrewing the lid. She took a long swig from the bottle before setting it back once again, a sigh pushing its way free of her lips. </p><p>S.M. had explained everything to them about the events that were bound to take place on Igni within the next few weeks. The resistance was going to be starting its invasion as soon as the preparations were completed, and S.M. had vowed to help when the time finally arrived. As nervous as Luce was about the idea, she knew that there wasn't going to be any stopping S.M. as soon as she put her mind to something. Her friend was stubborn, almost too stubborn, and nobody would be able to keep her from getting involved with the war. </p><p>It wasn't as if Luce was any better. She was fully aware of her own issues involving her own resolve, and she couldn't help but wonder if that was a good or bad thing as she unpacked her supplies from the day. It bothered her how normal life was seeming, but she knew that there wasn't a way for her to change that without asking for the start of the war properly, so she just stayed silent and dealt with it as anxiety took hold in her mind and body. </p><p>According to Tanith, Zylphia was still making preparations regarding what they were going to be doing if anything else happened. Luce couldn't exactly say she was surprised given how prepared Zylphia liked to be for everything that came her way. It was simply how the headmistress of Alitia was, and Luce wasn't going to complain given how powerful Zylphia was when it came to combat. If there was something for them to worry about, they would have already heard about it. Zylphia told Tanith practically everything about the ins and outs of running the school, so the group would have surely been aware if something had gone too wrong. </p><p>Luce thought back to the conversation with S.M. about what was coming their way. She knew that the resistance was going to need all the help it could get, and siding with the rebellion was going to be the best thing for Millennia. Even if they were up against the powerful army of Igni, they were going to find a way to overpower the other planet. They simply had to. There was no reason for them to stand against the resistance being led by Briyana Frazier, and Luce knew it. The fighting was going to continue for quite some time, and Luce was aware of that too. Still, that didn't mean that she had to like it, and she knew without a shadow of a doubt that she absolutely hated it. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Cerise still didn't know how to approach anything involving her past with even a semblance of tact. </p><p>It had been a few weeks since she first met Shiho and Zaeran, and yet, she found herself nervous whenever she thought about them. There was nothing she could do on the matter aside from simply speak to them, but it felt impossible. How could she reach out to people who she feared were going to change everything that she had ever come to know? </p><p>Hearing the truth about her past had been a shock, but Cerise figured that she should have realized it when looking back. Surion had blocked any information on the subject from completely reaching anyone, but Cerise undoubtedly would have been able to pull the pieces together if she had been given the opportunity. If she had learned about what was happening sooner, she surely wouldn't have wound up feeling so absolutely rotten about everything. She was tired of thinking about it, but she knew that there was no easy way for her to escape it. </p><p>December and Cerise had been standing within their guest room of Acadia for quite some time, both silent as they took care of their separate tasks. Cerise looked over her should to face December even though the other woman was focused on other things. She bit down on her lip, trying to figure out how in the world she was supposed to bring up a subject like this. It simply didn't seem possible to her, so she just frowned to herself before trying to pretend like nothing was on her mind. </p><p>"You can tell me if there's something on your mind, you know."</p><p>Cerise practically jumped out of her skin as she heard December speak. The older woman still wasn't facing her, but Cerise decided to turn around regardless. She couldn't figure out how to make her lips properly form the syllables, so she just stayed silent instead. </p><p>"You want to meet them, don't you?" December questioned, but Cerise figured that December didn't need to ask. After all, the woman could read her like a book, and it had been that way for as long as either one of them could remember. </p><p>Cerise hesitated before nodding. "I feel like I should try to make a connection," she murmured. "Do you know how I would even go about doing that?" Shiho and Zaeran had left before because they were intending to give Cerise some space, but the time had come for her to actually try to talk to them. She couldn't allow the distance to grow any larger than it already had. </p><p>December nodded. "I'll have Altina help me arrange a meeting with them for this evening. How does that sound?" she asked. Cerise nodded in response, trying not to think about the way that December had elected to host the meeting that evening. It was as if she knew that Cerise was going to pull out if she was given too much time to think about it all. </p><p>Matters of the heart were foreign to Cerise no matter how much she tried to block it all out. She had spent most of her life thinking about how she was meant to be an emotionless soldier in the name of Igni's progress. She had no idea how she was supposed to navigate a delicate matter such as reconnecting with the family she had never been able to know. It was a daunting task, and she didn't have the slightest idea of where to even start. </p><p>But Cerise didn't say anything of this nature, instead simply nodding once again. "Yeah... That sounds great," she murmured even though it sounded anything but great given the circumstances. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Leviathan walked into Fromir's office with a mischievous smile on his face. A blanket was stacked on top of his forearms, and he was ready to cause a few problems as long as he was given the chance. Luckily for him, there was a golden opportunity waiting for him right there, and Leviathan couldn't stop grinning as soon as he noticed. </p><p>Fromir was asleep at his desk, his arms folded in a makeshift pillow. Leviathan knew that there would be no forcing Fromir back to sleep if he woke up because of how stubborn he could be. On top of that, Fromir was known for being hard on himself, and he wouldn't even consider offering himself small mercies unless he was practically forced to think of trying. </p><p>Leviathan unfolded the fabric in his arms and draped it around Fromir's shoulders. For a fraction of a second, he considered raising Fromir's head to use the blanket as a pillow, but he knew that would probably wake the other man, and that was the last thing he wanted. He smiled to himself as soon as his mission had been completed. Fromir hadn't stirred at all, and Leviathan was willing to consider this a success. </p><p>Leviathan looked down at Fromir for a brief moment before letting out a gentle sigh. He pressed a brief kiss to Fromir's temple, unsure of what it could possibly mean for their connection. He didn't know how to describe the way he and Fromir had gotten closer, but it seemed to fit. </p><p>Leviathan had been dragging Fromir away from his work more frequently in the past few days, taking joy from the way that he was able to help the other man relax without any worries. At one point, he would have thought that getting Fromir to relax was impossible, but there had been a strange progression between strangers to friends since they first met, and Leviathan found that he rather enjoyed it. He suspected that Fromir felt the same way, recognizing that the other man wouldn't even think about getting closer to him if not for the way they had been connecting since Leviathan's arrival on Millennia. </p><p>The shapeshifter didn't allow himself to be held back by thinking about his relationship with Fromir. He figured that he could work all of that business out as soon as the fighting was over. There wasn't time to determine the true nature of their connection until after they had been given the chance to enjoy peace. The fight against Igni was simply too much, and Leviathan understood it. He wasn't going to force Fromir into anything until well after the fighting had drawn to a conclusion. </p><p>As Leviathan slipped towards the door, Fromir stirred slightly, but he didn't wake. Leviathan smiled down at Fromir's sleeping form before darting between the small space between the door and the wall. He flicked off the light on the way, remembering the way that his fond grin felt on his face even long after he had left. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Shiho and Zaeran were waiting in a meeting room deep inside of Acadia, and Cerise had no idea what she was supposed to say to them. </p><p>Her mouth felt as if it was full of cotton, and she couldn't do much of anything aside from simply stare at the man and woman. December had dropped her off and said that she would be standing outside. Cerise was starting to think that this had been an awful idea, but she couldn't pull back. It had taken far too long for her to wrestle with her courage, and she wasn't sure as to if she would be able to force herself to go back to her birth parents if she didn't do it right then. </p><p>Both of them were watching Cerise carefully, and she took in a deep breath, trying to hide the way that she felt like she was trembling. When she finally spoke, it felt as if someone else was speaking through her body, like she was merely a puppet being jerked around on a string for the convenience of some higher power. </p><p>"I want to try and get to know you both better," Cerise finally managed to spit out. Still, the words felt faraway and strange on her lips. She knew that they were true, but she hadn't realized that she had the power to express them until after they had already been released into the air. It was an awkward way to start the conversation, but there wasn't a way to begin the chat that didn't seem strange somehow, so Cerise simply allowed it to happen. </p><p>Shiho nodded her understanding, but she didn't say anything at first. Cerise took this as an invitation to keep talking, so she inhaled cautiously once more before letting it out. "I understand that a lot has happened, and there's still a lot yet to come that we don't yet comprehend. I still want to try and get to know you better even if we were apart for most of my life. It wouldn't hurt to make an attempt, and I really do want to."</p><p>Shiho's head tilted gently to the side in understanding. "Of course," she whispered. Her gaze seemed lighter than before somehow, and Cerise could see tears forming in the corners of her eyes. She had to wonder if she was teetering on the edge of crying as well, but she wasn't sure if she wanted to know or not. </p><p>"I believe that we should wait until after the war has drawn to a conclusion. I still have to fight, and I need to finish off what's already been started. The king of Igni has done terrible things, and I believe that it's the least I can do after all that I have been involved with because of him. I can do this," Cerise continued firmly. "I know that it's not something you're going to want from me. You just got me back in your lives, and now I'm running off again."</p><p>"We understand that you have obligations to the people who raised you in our stead," Shiho eventually said, her words oddly steady for how shaky she seemed to be feeling. "I believe that we will have the chance to get to know each other soon. I missed having you in my life."</p><p>"You're still our daughter regardless of what has happened," Zaeran confirmed, prompting Shiho to nod from his side. "We care immensely about you, and that won't change anytime soon. I know that you'll be alright, but... If something does happen and you feel as if you won't survive the war..."</p><p>"Please, pull back and come home to us," Shiho said intently, her eyes narrowing with something akin to begging. "We lost you so many years ago, and you're finally in our lives again. We simply want you to be with us after we spent so much time apart."</p><p>Cerise hesitated before nodding. She had no intentions of pulling back after the fighting began, but she knew that there was no way they would let her go if she didn't say that it was going to be alright. Shiho and Zaeran both seemed to have immense faith in her anyways. Their words were simply a matter of constructing a backup plan, a safety net in case there was the possibility of something going wrong. She appreciated how much they cared even though they barely knew each other, and she felt oddly warm inside with something she hoped was love (even if she wasn't sure she understood the concept at all). </p><p>Cerise was hesitant when she got closer to Shiho and Zaeran, and she had no idea what she was exactly looking for when she decided to walk towards them. Still, she found herself wrapping her arms around their bodies, and they returned the gesture. Cerise had never been much of a fan of physical contact, and yet, there was something about the situation that left her oddly entranced. The room fell completely silent as she focused solely on the embrace enveloping her body. </p><p>Neither one of her parents said anything either, and she wondered if this was going to be the start of something incredible. She wanted to be able to tell them about everything that she had gone through since they were separated, and she believed sincerely that they would listen much to her own surprise. Cerise had found a family on Igni, but she didn't think that there was anything wrong with reaching out and expanding the reach of those she considered part of her inner circle. </p><p>When Cerise finally pulled away, she could see open tears streaming down her mother's face, and one hand was resting gently on Shiho's shoulder from her husband. Both Zaeran had Shiho were watching Cerise with pure affection, and the younger girl felt oddly strange as they watched her with love in their eyes. She wasn't used to this in the slightest, and she honestly didn't know how she was meant to respond. </p><p>And yet, she could barely bring herself to care. Cerise was going to get used to it after a while, and she was positive of it. Of course, she would need to adjust, but there were many beautiful things in life that were only allowed thanks to the power of evolution. She was more than ready to see the way that her life was bound to change, and she never expected herself to say that. </p><p>"Why don't you tell us about yourself?" Shiho suddenly asked, and Cerise's eyes shot open wide for a fraction of a second as soon as Shiho spoke. She corrected her expression as soon as she was able to move past her own shock, and she was thankful beyond imagination that neither one of her parents appeared to have seen her moment of surprise. </p><p>Cerise nodded slowly. She assumed that this was as good a place to start as any, and she would slowly be able to slip in with both her parents and older siblings. She would have to begin this journey somewhere, and she was positive that it was going to wind up being alright. It filled her chest with an odd sensation that resembled light in ways she hadn't anticipated. For the first time since learning the truth, Cerise actually didn't mind the thought of everything in her life changing, and the mere idea brought an unexpected smile to her face. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Jin was, to put it simply, absolutely exhausted. </p><p>He was used to being given at least a little bit of time to himself to try and unwind from the stresses of the day. He typically chose to spend it with the rest of his family, enjoying each free minute by doting on Tanith or embracing the sensation that came with Zylphia's presence, but he no longer had any such advantages. Work at Angelwood was keeping him busy, and as much as he knew it was necessary given what he was getting ready for, he couldn't help but long for a chance to at least take a small breath for the sake of his own health. </p><p>The war was coming, and Jin knew it. He had seen all of the signs of combat a while ago, and that was more than enough to frighten him. Even when Jin realized that something was coming, he didn't want to believe it. He wanted to think that life could be something that resembled normal after the events of the previous semester. He clung desperately to the idea, as if he feared that his life would crumble if he dared to release the concept into the realm of impossibility. </p><p>But Jin's optimism wasn't anywhere near being enough to save him. It hadn't done enough to keep him away from the War of Starlight so many years ago, and it wasn't enough to keep him from being dragged into the conflict shared by Igni and Millennia. He simply wished that he would be able to escape before anyone got too hurt. They needed him to fight, but he hated the idea. </p><p>Jin had been in his office for hours even after classes ended, trying to come up with plans for what to do if a battle ever came to his doorstep. He wished that he had the time to spare for Zylphia and Tanith, but he simply couldn't step away. Nobody was going to allow him the chance to leave given the importance of the matters he had to address, and he was fully aware of such. It frustrated him, yes, but there wasn't much of anything he could do about it without upsetting someone either at Angelwood or on Millennia as a whole. </p><p>Jin had been staring at maps and battle strategies for so long that his head was starting to pound, and he let out a sigh. He wasn't cut out for this. Jin had always been a pacifist, learning how to fight because he thought it would be something good to have on hand. He never thought he would need to put his skills into action, so the War of Starlight had taken him by surprise so many years ago. He had hoped, perhaps foolishly, that he was going to be alright without ever needing to step onto a battlefield. Others could handle the fighting, and he would be able to live out a regular civilian life without the need for combat. </p><p>Ragnor Malefician had changed that so many years ago. Jin had always hated fighting, but there wasn't anything for him to do aside from lead the charge against the corrupted Church of Moonlight back then. He had to fight because there were so many others who didn't know how to defend themselves. He had the skills, so he was forced to show off the full range of his powers much to his own disdain. </p><p>Jin's magic showed just how caring and loving he was. His power involved those around him becoming far more open to the words that he spoke. He could easily persuade others to his side, and many fell in love with him as if he was a siren constantly singing even without opening his mouth. He had learned how to fight with unorthodox spells because he simply wasn't built for fighting. He came to know the rest of the Starlight Camaraderie because he found them to be friendly, incredible people. He never thought they would be forced into battle at such a young age, and he still wondered what his life would have been like if he hadn't been pressed away from his childhood far too soon. </p><p>Jin reached out for his phone after shutting his eyes for a moment. He needed something to clear his head, and he knew exactly what was going to help him out. He turned on the device and navigated to his photo album before clicking on a specific category therein. A light smile appeared on his face in spite of how weary and exhausted he was, and he began to scroll through the images. </p><p>There were too many pictures of Zylphia and Tanith to be counted. They were photos that had been taken sneakily when nobody thought that anyone was looking. However, Jin was always watching, waiting for the moments when Tanith smiled to herself as she was pulled out of her constant muttered monologue. He was patient enough to watch and wait for the times when Zylphia allowed herself the mercy of showing weakness, something she detested doing unless she felt completely safe with the people around her. They never realized that Jin was watching, much less taking pictures, but he didn't mind that at all. In fact, he was more than fine to keep his secret to himself. </p><p>He pressed the phone to his chest and let out a small sigh. He wished that he had the time to head over to Alitia and see them for just a few minutes, but he knew that he would never be able to convince himself to go back to Angelwood once he departed. Looking at photos would have to do regardless of how much he longed for the true experience. Jin pulled the phone away from his body before continuing to scroll through, allowing his heart and mind to be lightened by the sight of his favorite people in the world so overwhelmingly happy. </p><p>He was going to fight to ensure they kept those smiles. Jin hated combat, but that didn't mean that he didn't understand it. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Eros was starting to get used to spending time with Briyana and the rebels on Igni. </p><p>It was a slow process, and he knew that it was going to take quite a while before he was fully able to understand the inner workings of what happened in their hideaway, but Eros was starting to enjoy it. He had always thought that he would have to fight for leath liberation from the top, attempting to change the system from the inside out, but he knew that such would never work. He was pragmatic enough after all that had happened in the past few months to understand that he was going to have to do something drastic. </p><p>Eros had seen the way that the system of mages and leaths on Igni could corrupt people. Those at the top mercilessly stomped on those below them, and the people at the bottom were left to struggle endlessly because there was nothing else for them to do. Eros' prayers had been that he would be able to shift everything as soon as he was given enough power to reform the world around him, but he knew better given his recent experiences. The only thing that was going to change Igni was a revolution, and he was more than happy to act as one of its agents. </p><p>Briyana seemed more than happy to have him as part of the resistance as well. There was something about her that drew him in, and he knew that it had something to do with her manifestation. She wasn't a fighter in the sense of the powers given to her by birth, but she became a soldier out of necessity. Everything about Briyana seemed open and inviting, and yet, she was inscrutable at the same time. Her smile attracted Eros' gaze the way that it got the attention of all those around her, but there was never a way to say for sure what was going on inside of her head. </p><p>Eros looked in a piece of broken glass at his own reflection, and when he tilted it up to the light, he could see Briyana was standing behind him. He should have been surprised that she snuck up on him so brazenly, and yet, all he could do was make himself turn around to face her. He didn't say anything, suspecting that she was going to fill the silence soon on her own anyways. </p><p>Sure enough, Eros was right, and Briyana allowed a hint of a smile to appear on her features. "You know, I was once like you too," she commented, and Eros wondered how the hell that could be true. He was angry and mercurial, lashing out at everything that got too close because he knew how cruel the world could be. Eros was aware of how petty he could be, and Briyana seemed completely different from him, effortless in her grace and charisma. </p><p>Eros didn't have the chance to ask what she meant, as Briyana kept talking before he was given the opportunity to even consider what he was supposed to say. "I lost my parents because of the system here on Igni. I've been orphaned for almost as long as I can remember, and theft was the only way that I could get by. I hated the world for doing so much to hurt me, and... I wanted change."</p><p>Eros nodded his understanding. He didn't understand how Briyana had been able to figure out the origin of his anger at the world so easily, but he had the sneaking suspicion that she was far better at reading people than one would have expected at a first glance. </p><p>"I can tell by the way that you think about all of this that you've suffered severe grief under the system that we live with. It's why you fight for change," Briyana continued. "You're not the only one here to think that way. Lots of us have lost family, parents or otherwise, and that's why we fight. Some people have lost children or siblings. Others have seen partners die under the system Igni runs. It's sickening, and that's why we fight."</p><p>"I want to take Surion's head from his shoulders," Eros commented suddenly. He wasn't sure if his mind gave his lips the command to speak the words, but he knew that they were true. He had been wanting to say his thoughts on the matter for quite some time, and at long last, he was able to tell the world. </p><p>Briyana let out a chuckle, but the sound was hollow and unreadable. "You aren't the only one who wishes for something like that. The king's a monster, and he deserves that and so much worse," she told him. "But we're going to have to get ready before we can do something like that. The rest of the planet is still in a state of upheaval, and we're going to have to find a way to make order from this endless chaos. Still, I doubt that's going to be much of an issue for you to power through. I know how determined you are to see this through to the end."</p><p>Eros let out a small snort. That was an understatement for sure, and he could tell that Briyana knew it too. She gave him a playful smirk before walking away to take care of other business. She was busy with leading the resistance, and Eros had to admit that he had no idea how she did it. He had wanted to do something like this for as long as he could remember, but he wouldn't even know where to start in figuring out a plan. Briyana truly was something special. </p><p>Still, he couldn't get too distracted thinking about her. There were other matters that required his attention. The revolution was waiting, and he was looking forward to it more than he could ever hope to describe. </p><p>
  <em>This is for you, Mom. You aren't here to see peace, so I'll fight for it in your name. </em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Update time!</p><p>Also, this update is special. It's coming out on the birthday of one of my contributors for Alitia. She created Arisu, Mina, and S.M., and I hope this is a nice birthday gift for her. I love you lots, Lillian!</p><p>-Digital</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0036"><h2>36. XXXVI: Inferno's Understanding</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Zylphia and the rest of the Starlight Camaraderie meet to discuss an alliance with Briyana's forces.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Zylphia settled into her seat within the conference room of Alitia with a light frown on her face. She knew why everybody was there, but she was not looking forward to this in the slightest. She had called the meeting, but that didn't mean that she had to enjoy it. </p><p>Mina and Kanoa had explained everything to her earlier on in the day. They explained how they were working out the issues involving their contact with Briyana so that the revolution on Igni could begin. The plans were being ironed out as they spoke, and both girls were playing a key role in the inevitable evolution of the world. Eros was apparently involved as well, having escaped the palace of Igni to start working with the resistance. After taking some time to put the pieces together, Mina and Kanoa finally approached Zylphia to try and explain everything. Upon hearing the truth, Zylphia immediately called for all of the other head teachers to meet with her at Alitia. It was necessary, but she wasn't going to have fun with it. </p><p>All five of the others were already settled into their seats, and Zylphia glanced out over their exhausted faces while praying that they didn't notice the shadows that were tearing at the space just below her eyes. They had all been driven over the edge trying to plan for the next invasion from Igni. There hadn't been an attack in quite some time, but they lived in fear of it at all times, and such terror was starting to take its toll on them all. </p><p>"So, what's all this about?" Fromir questioned, practically unable to sit still as he squirmed on the spot. His eyes were wide, only adding to the image of anxiety brought on by his pale face. Fromir had always been the most prone to fear out of the group because of his comparative youth and harsh upbringing, so it was no surprise to Zylphia that he was struggling during this unfortunate situation. </p><p>"I have received new information that will change the way that we look at the war from here on out," Zylphia explained, her expression set in something stoic. "We may or may not have allies from within Igni that could be willing to help us."</p><p>"Would it have anything to do with the rebellion on Igni?" Caius questioned. He had already told the group about it after he was dragged into the hideout run by Briyana quite some time ago. However, the information about Mina and Kanoa's involvement was new, and that was what prompted them to come together in the first place. </p><p>Zylphia nodded. "Yes, as a matter of fact," she confirmed. "Three students within Alitia have made contact with the rebellion, and they want Millennia's aid to defeat the king and change the course of Igni's history forever. I heard about this from two senior students, but S.M. Maestre has been involved with this as well. We shouldn't be surprised with this in the slightest given the circumstances regarding Igni's connection with her in the past few months."</p><p>"We might be able to get rid of the king and all of his lackeys in one fell swoop then," Minerva commented, looking down at the table in front of her. "Wouldn't that be ideal? Igni has been struggling immensely under the issues of discrimination against leaths, but we would be able to cut that out of the equation and turn the tides."</p><p>"It technically isn't our concern because it's an Igni issue and we're on Millennia," Jin pointed out. "Don't get me wrong; I still want to help them, but I know that the council is not going to react well to us saying that we want to get involved with the impending revolution of Igni this way. I feel like we all know how petty and self-centered some people can be when matters don't involve them directly."</p><p>"If they want to throw a tantrum about it, that's their problem," Altina said. "I know that you aren't a fan of conflict, Jin, but I am not quite so peaceful, and if they want to handle this indelicately, then I won't hesitate to do what I have to in order to ensure that they do what we want them to."</p><p>Jin stared at Altina for a moment in bewildered shock before he began to smile awkwardly. "In all honesty, I was kind of hoping that you would say that... I'm no good with confrontation, but you know what to do so that everything works out in our favor," he admitted softly. </p><p>Altina responded by offering a smirk in his direction, and there was no doubt that she was thinking about the harsh words she would undoubtedly need to share in order to receive the agreement of the people of Millennia. She was silent, but everybody was sure that her thoughts were far from being quiet or demure. </p><p>"They're going to have to know that the people of Igni can help us," Caius cut in. "If the resistance offers us aid, we have to accept it. We're seeking the same goal, and we would be foolish to decline their assistance. If we word it in a way that shows how advantageous it will be to us, they won't have a way to turn us down, and if they do, they'll truly be foolish."</p><p>"It sounds like we're going to have a nice way to get through this," Jin commented with another lopsided grin. He rubbed at the back of his neck. "This means that we're going to have to gather more fighters to send over to Igni... We'll have to trust that Briyana Frazier has a plan in mind so that we'll be able to defeat our enemies without too many issues."</p><p>"She's methodical. She knows what she's doing, and if we express interest in having the whole planet of Millennia help her, she's going to be able to factor us in, and that will make it easier for both of our groups," Caius assured the group. "Briyana is charismatic too. As soon as this rebellion starts, she's going to be able to drag in all of the other people who have been waiting for this."</p><p>"Some people are too afraid to voice their objections to the system until they see somebody else do it, and I have no doubt that she'll be more than able to drag them into this without even blinking," Minerva said. "From what I've heard about her, she's an impressive woman in her own right, and she's going to know how to handle this situation. Others will join in, and there will be mutiny in the army of Igni as leaths realize that they have an option aside from simply going along with the status quo to survive."</p><p>"It's going to usher in a new age of Igni," Zylphia murmured. "If Briyana Frazier is truly as impressive as you're making her sound, then that means that we have little to worry about. We'll do what we can to defeat Surion. He's too stubborn to admit when he could possibly be at a loss on the battlefield. Even if he never gives in, that won't matter when we find a way to charge straight through him."</p><p>"The mage population on Igni is limited, and no leath is going to like being mistreated more than the idea of freedom. When they realize that the rebellion has the upper hand, they're going to leave the security that comes with Surion's mistreatment of them, and everything will fall into place from there," Altina agreed with a firm nod. </p><p>"In conclusion, we're going to use Millennia's need to get rid of Igni to our advantage, and when we do, we'll be siding with the rebellion," Fromir declared. His fingers were fiddling together to give him something else to think about aside from just the conversation at hand. "The resistance should make it easier for us to defeat Surion once and for all, and we'll be able to solve the severe power imbalance by giving the leaths a chance to make a new society that doesn't discriminate against them so actively. That would free Millennia from conflict as well as end the generations of mistreatment that was allowed to pass on Igni thanks to its powerful army."</p><p>"The planet is going to have to recover from everything on its own, but if all goes according to plan, that won't be such a bad thing," Zylphia continued. "Briyana seems to know what she's doing, and I trust her to be able to handle all of this. If she's planned this far in advance regarding what the resistance needs to accomplish, I have faith that she'll be able to keep the planet from falling into ruin when she's the one in charge."</p><p>"What a cruel twist of fate for Surion," Jin chuckled to himself. "At first, it was all about the mages discriminating against leaths, but now, the leaths are going to be the ones in charge, and they're going to change the world for the better. I can't wait to see what they're capable of, if I'm being perfectly honest."</p><p>"I'll get in contact with Mina and Kanoa at once to tell them to pass along the message that we agree. Caius, you should also reach out to her and say that we're in since you know her better than the rest of us. From there, we're going to get read to march on Igni and finish it all. The Alight Five are out of the picture and fighting on our side now, so that means all we can do is continue pushing on until Surion is taken out. He's the final blockade in our way, and then Millennia will be freed as the leaths are given liberation," Zylphia concluded. </p><p>"For now, we should focus on taking care of our students. We'll wait until we hear back from the resistance, and until then, all we can do is be patient," Minerva declared. She rose to her feet and pushed her chair back into its place against the table. Her shoulders were tense, practically knotted in her silent anger. Her gaze was as sharp and dangerous as it was exhausted, as if she was a bomb ticking down to the time of explosion. </p><p>"We're going to take care of this," Fromir said, a smile plastered haphazardly on his face as he spoke. It was clear that he was trying to convince himself more than the rest of the group, and something about him felt like a container of boiling water. It was only a matter of time before something burst or bubbled over, but there was no way of saying when or where it was going to happen. Was there even anything that they would be able to do about it? After all, in a way, all of them were on the verge of something similar happening. The difference was that most of them knew how to shelve their emotions or otherwise attempt to cope while Fromir tended to drown under his anxiety since he didn't know how to keep himself afloat. </p><p>"When I receive an update, I'll be sure to tell you as soon as possible," Caius announced. He got to his feet, and he moved for the door. "Until then, do your best to stay out of trouble. I don't want anything to happen to you." That was as emotional as Caius got, and Zylphia tried not to stare down at the ground to keep from showing how worried she was. Caius was never sappy or mushy in the slightest, and suddenly hearing it from him was jarring and nerve-wracking. </p><p>The rest of the group followed Minerva and Caius' examples before leaving the room. Jin's eyes told Zylphia that he wanted to stay but had too much to work on back at Angelwood to spare a moment to talk with her. She understood, knowing that she was in much the same position, and she gave both him and the rest of their comrades a wave just before the door tapped shut, leaving her in the suffocating silence of the meeting room. </p><p>Zylphia knew that everyone leaving so quickly was not a matter of them disliking the atmosphere of Alitia. In fact, it was quite the opposite; they wanted to be there, but they simply didn't have a choice in the matter. The rest of the world was counting on them to take care of the innocent and helpless people who couldn't fight for themselves. Millennia had no official ruler or leader, so it fell to the six head teachers to ensure that everyone was kept safe and happy. They had far too many duties to be caught up in their own emotions, and staying around one another felt oddly dangerous. </p><p>They weren't going to hurt each other if they were pushed the wrong way. In fact, none of them would even begin to dream fo harming one another. The threat was not involved in the slightest with bringing harm to each other; it was helping themselves. They knew that as soon as something was pushed the wrong way, they were liable to fall apart. If they were given a moment to breathe, they wouldn't be able to go back to their duties. They were the only ones capable of saving Millennia and ensuring that the people were kept secure. If they were allowed to step away, there would be no convincing them to return to the environment they knew would cause them to spiral mentally. </p><p>Zylphia placed one hand on the table, and her eyes slipped shut. The darkest corners of the room seemed to mock her for her instability, but she didn't even bother glaring back. The silence was filling her ears, constantly whining for her attention. She was being left alone with her thoughts, and that was dangerous. She could begin to think about how she couldn't handle this anymore, and that wasn't something that she could afford to do. Everyone was counting on her, and in a way, she was relying on herself. She needed to do this, because if she wasn't given something to keep her every thought occupied, she was going to crumble under the pressure. </p><p>The good thing about being detached and emotionless was that Zylphia was numb to most of her pain. It wasn't a healthy way for her to cope, but it was all that she understood how to do. She forced her eyes open and looked at the patterns that rose in the wood of the table. Nothing was there, and yet, she saw the expression of Dawn Shira as she slowly began to fall apart under the stress of war. The woman made of sunshine became a husk of her former self, and she didn't even seem to be able to put the pieces back together. </p><p>Zylphia didn't let herself cry. That was a luxury she couldn't afford. Instead, she simply walked for the door, leaving behind the meeting room, and the potential of emotional honesty, behind in favor of the world that continued to vie for her attention. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>When Fromir walked back into his office after the meeting at Alitia, he was absolutely exhausted. He trudged his way over to his desk before practically collapsing into his chair, his eyes already having fallen to half-mast. He looked ready to fall asleep at a moment's notice, and his head slumped into his arms a moment later, using them as a makeshift pillow until he was able to escape the pull of his own work. </p><p>In fact, Fromir was so tired that he didn't even realize that he had company. Leviathan was sitting on a couch that was pushed up against the wall, one eyebrow raised in curiosity as he examined Fromir from afar. The head teacher of Sierra didn't open his eyes even as Leviathan began to shuffle around and rise to his feet. Leviathan couldn't help but hold one hand over his mouth to prevent himself from chuckling at how absolutely exhausted Fromir had become after the meeting. He had heard that Fromir was going out to Alitia, but he hadn't expected to see the other man return to Sierra so absolutely exhausted. </p><p>It was getting late enough in the evening that Leviathan was sure that Fromir would be able to spare a few hours to head to sleep early. Fromir had been staying up each night to try and get ready for the inevitable battle against Igni, but Leviathan wasn't going to allow that to stand any longer than it had. </p><p>"Hey, Fromi," Leviathan cooed as he came up behind the other man with a light grin on his face. He placed one hand on either one of Fromir's shoulders before gently shaking him. "It's time to get up."</p><p>Fromir practically jumped out of his skin at the contact, and he glanced around in fierce panic before he whirled to see that Leviathan was the one responsible. He let out a sigh before slumping into his chair once again. "Hey," Fromir commented, but the word was drawn-out and sloppy. If he had spoken multiple syllables rather than just the one, he likely would have slurred them together in his complete exhaustion. </p><p>"You're not going to do yourself any good if you spend all your time in the office rather than looking out for yourself," Leviathan pointed out. He forced Fromir to turn around by rotating his chair before curling one hand around Fromir's upper arm. He pulled the other man to his feet, trying not to stare when Fromir stumbled. </p><p>"But there's so much for me to do still," Fromir complained, but there was something that looked like resignation deep in his gaze. No matter how openly he was fighting, he didn't want to do this. In fact, he wanted to rest, and such a fact was clear the longer that one looked at him. Fromir was only forcing himself to keep moving to make sure that he didn't disappoint anyone. Leviathan hadn't known him for long, but he was sure that such a habit was typical for Fromir. </p><p>"I don't care," Leviathan said with a playful grin that betrayed his serious tone. He braced his hands against Fromir's shoulders once again before piloting the older man away from the office and towards the hallway. He went on autopilot as he dragged Fromir off to his room, humming a tune to himself to make sure that Fromir had something to focus on rather than simply giving into sleep then and there. It seemed to work, and Fromir was able to keep himself conscious the whole way back to his room. He was even able to wait as Leviathan pushed his way into the room. </p><p>Leviathan moved Fromir over to the bed before easing him into a sitting position. Fromir still looked guilty about having been dragged away from his work, but he didn't say anything on the matter. Luckily for him, Leviathan already understood perfectly, and he let out a smile before nudging Fromir in the shoulder. "I would suggest staying here until you're feeling better," he teased gently. "I'm not going to be letting you go anytime soon, so why don't you make this easier on the both of us and simply wait until you're feeling well enough to move around again?"</p><p>Fromir seemed to have realized just how determined Leviathan was, and he let out a sigh before nodding to himself. "There's one other thing that I need to do first," he murmured, reaching for his pocket. He pulled his phone free, but his eyes instinctively squinted against the light, yet another sign of just how exhausted he had allowed himself to become. </p><p>"Not so fast," Leviathan insisted, pulling the device free of Fromir's loose grasp. "If you really need something done, I'll do it. My mission on Igni has been taken care of, so that means that I'm more than available to help you out whenever you need it. The same applies to Aurore, but she's not exactly here right now, so it falls to me to look after you." </p><p>Fromir looked at Leviathan in shock at first before letting out a sigh, understanding that there was no point to arguing when Leviathan set his mind on something like this. "Nebula needs an update on what's happening," he muttered. "I want her to be aware of everything that happened today."</p><p>"Tell me what to say, and I'll take care of it for you," Leviathan told Fromir. He moved through the phone effortlessly before coming across the texting application. He was able to bypass all of the passwords and small quirks of the device effortlessly as a show of his experience when it came to managing Fromir's affairs. </p><p>Fromir nodded slowly. "We're going to be cooperating with the resistance force on Igni," Fromir said. His words were starting to run together, and there was practically no way to say where one phrase ended and another began. "She might have to fight in the near future, and I want her to be careful until then. She has to be ready."</p><p>"It shall be done," Leviathan assured Fromir with another wide grin. His sharpened teeth showed themselves along the way. "Now, you get some rest. It's been too long since you enjoyed a full night of sleep. I won't leave this room until I know that you're asleep. You can't fool me, so don't even bother."</p><p>Fromir comprehended the extent of Leviathan's determination, and he nodded in response before shutting his eyes. It didn't even take a full minute for him to drift off to slumber, and his breathing evened out soon afterwards. Leviathan looked down at him with a fond smile before turning his attention back to the phone. </p><p>He sent the message to Nebula before powering the device off and setting it down on the table beside Fromir's bed so that he could check it as soon as he woke up. Leviathan stared at the device, waiting for it to light up wit a response. Soon afterwards, Nebula replied, but Leviathan didn't snoop to see what she had specifically said. Instead, he took in a deep breath and flopped into a nearby chair before closing hie eyes. He was nowhere near as tired as Fromir, but all of the chaos was starting to take its toll on him as well. </p><p>Leviathan would have been lying if he said that he wasn't jealous of the relationship that Fromir had with his sister. He and Nebula didn't speak all that much in the grand scheme of things, but they at least got along decently well when they did communicate. Leviathan had been in that position for a long time when it came to Minerva, and while they had bridged that gap, there was still one other issue that didn't sit well with Leviathan. He got along with Minerva, yes, but that wasn't the case for the rest of his family. </p><p>Leviathan was the youngest of three while Minerva was the oldest. They had one sister who rested in the space between, and Leviathan didn't get along with her in the slightest. Minerva didn't either, and it was the reason that they had wound up becoming so close as children in the first place. Her name was Brynn, and she was the defining wedge that showed the difference between the different upbringings of the siblings. Minerva was stoic and solemn, never allowing her ego to get the best of her. Leviathan, while far more chipper and optimistic, was just as careful to keep pride from taking control of him. Humility was the string that connected the brother and sister through their contrasts. </p><p>Brynn had no such traits. She was the clear favorite out of the three. Minerva and Leviathan were both prodigies in their own ways, having enrolled at their respective schools a year early when the time finally arrived so many years ago. Brynn was the same way, but there was always something that set her apart. Their parents preferred Brynn from the beginning, leading to comparison and neglect towards both Minerva and Leviathan. He had only been able to look up to his oldest sister, and it was for that reason that her sudden departure from his life hurt so much. </p><p>The planet of Pyre was always known for its traditional nature. Brynn had wings where Minerva did not, so she was showered with affection following the disowning of her sister. Leviathan was always a wild card, possessing magic that never should have been in the bloodline of the royal family. He was ignored a strong majority of the time, and he was almost satisfied with that due to the alternative being so awful. He had been mistreated just as Minerva had, but he was willing to accept that over the possibility of being like Brynn. </p><p>She was vain and petty, always lying to others to get what she wanted. Something about her was sickeningly sweet, and simply looking at her face was enough to make Leviathan, a regularly laid back and passive person, practically boil with rage. Leviathan hated her, and Brynn hated him. It was a mutual exchange of the worst variety. </p><p>Even if Fromir and Nebula had been distant for many years, at least they liked one another in a loose sense. Fromir trusted Nebula with information regarding the current events, and Nebula was able to ask him questions when something happened. There was distance, yes, but trust existed there as well. Leviathan almost wished that his relationship with Brynn was something like that, but he knew that it never would be. Brynn was too cruel and obnoxious to ever consider interacting with someone like him. In fact, the time that she wasn't picking on him was often spent pretending that he didn't exist. </p><p>Leviathan clapped his hands against his cheeks to snap himself out of his painful reminiscence. He rose to his feet and stretched both arms as high above his head as he could manage. He gave one final smile to Fromir upon realizing that he was still asleep before leaving the room behind. </p><p>As he walked back to his own area of Sierra, he wondered what life would have been like if the three siblings had not been torn apart by the whims of fate. Each potential outcome stung a bit more than the last, and Leviathan found himself feeling oddly hopeless at simply the prospect fo having to ever interact with his sister again. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Cessair had been avoiding looking at the axe for quite some time, if she was being honest. </p><p>It existed in the inconvenient space out of the corner of her eye that she seemed to be able to see no matter what part of her room she was in. Ever since discovering the truth about Eros being a leath, it had haunted her, and she wasn't sure what she was supposed to do with it. She heard through the grapevine that Eros had betrayed the royal family of Igni to operate as a member of the resistance, and that only made the pull of the axe grow stronger to Cessair. He was going to need a way to fight back, and the axe was undoubtedly going to be his weapon of choice. </p><p>It had been formed back into its regular shape since the battle where it was stolen. Iris had managed to bend it back into position with a bit of effort before leaving it back in Cessair's capable hands. The half-fish girl couldn't keep herself from staring at it no matter how hard she tried. How was she supposed to get it back to Eros when she couldn't go back to Igni to talk to him herself?</p><p>She did her best to shake it off, making a note to tell Severine to pass on the message that they had to return the weapon to Eros somehow. Cessair sat down on her bed and reached for a book, trying to drown all of her sorrows in history to escape the annoying sight of the axe out of her peripheral vision. She needed a distraction, and reading had always been the best way for her to ignore the rest of the world, so she was more than happy to embrace it with welcoming arms. </p><p>Cessair's phone buzzed, and she reached for it after she finished going through the page that she was on. She allowed the book to shut before releasing a sigh and pulling up the group chat that she had with the rest of the girls. She saw that Nebula had sent a message about how the resistance force of Igni was going to be an official ally of Millennia in the near future. Tanith confirmed such information, and Cessair smiled with the knowledge. That meant that the fighting would end sooner. She <em>needed</em> the fighting to be over. </p><p>Cessair hated the idea of conflict. She was set to become a student of Alitia in the following year, but that didn't mean that she enjoyed the concept of fighting against others. Back during the Thanatos War, she couldn't even bring herself to harm Shadows if it could have been avoided, and Shadows weren't even real living creatures. The idea of having to fight any longer than necessary made her feel sick. </p><p>Perhaps that was why she hated the idea of the axe so much. As she set her phone down and attempted to return to her book, she glanced back up at the axe, something akin to a glare manifesting in her eyes. She stuck out her tongue at it for a moment, her fins flaring along the way, before looking back down to her book. No matter how many words she read, she could never escape the frustrating pull of the weapon, and she stared at it more than she looked at the pages before her. Such a pattern remained true for the rest of the night, and there was nothing she could do to stop it. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And here's a transitional update before we get into the final arc! Character development and lore building are great things huh</p><p>-Digital</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0037"><h2>37. XXXVII: Loss and Gain</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Briyana leads the resistance's march on Igni.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Briyana had been waiting for this. </p><p>She was finally finished with the preparations for the upcoming invasion of the capital of Igni. Briyana had dedicated far more time to the invasion than she knew how to describe, and the time had arrived at long last. Somehow, it didn't feel real, as if she was standing at the center point of the future and past for Igni. The royals and the stuffy mages of the nobility had no idea what was coming to them. </p><p>A few weeks had passed, and summer was almost a touch away. As Igni somehow grew even warmer than before, the desperation and anticipation of the members of the rebellion seemed to reach a boiling point, ready to spill over and infect every aspect of life. Briyana was more than ready to lead them into battle, but it wasn't just the members of the rebellion that she would be in trouble. </p><p>There were others on her side as well. The planet of Millennia had ultimately agreed to help in carrying out her plans of resistance, and there were a few volunteers in her forces from the Millennium Six. Some fighters who had retired to peaceful life on Millennia were in the army as well. There were people in the hideout from all walks of life, and if not for the spell censoring the noise of the area, Briyana was sure that someone on the surface of Igni would have figured out what was happening. There were more people in the area than she ever could have imagined. </p><p>Briyana had been standing with Eros at the front of the crowd, admiring her handiwork with a silent smirk, when she heard footsteps that stuck out from the rest of the group. Eros seemed to realize that something was strange as well, and both of them turned to see a pair of girls walking closer. Briyana remembered hearing S.M. talk about them during a previous meeting on Igni about the upcoming war. Their names were Luce and Cessair if she recalled correctly. </p><p>Luce was holding the axe of fire that Eros had come to be known for wielding, and Cessair stood at her side with her hands clasped together tightly. "I think this belongs to you," Cessair told Eros with a small, nervous chuckle. She was clearly trying to alleviate the tension hanging in the air, but it was debatable as to if it was actually working or not. "Sorry that we took it all that time ago."</p><p>Eros raised an eyebrow in her direction before Luce handed over the weapon. All of his previous reservations were immediately cast aside, and his eyes were filled with something that looked like a mix of bloodlust and pyromania. He didn't even remember to thank the two girls for going to the trouble of bringing the weapon back to him. </p><p>"He means thanks," Briyana told the two girls. Luce nodded, her expression detached and emotionless, as she retreated. Cessair trailed after her, clearly wanting to say more to Eros but not knowing how. Briyana certainly thought it was for the best that Cessair never got the chance to say anything, knowing that Eros would have absolutely hated having to talk to people when his axe was finally in his hands. Eros was a powerful fighter, but he was lacking when it came to situations that needed anything resembling tact. </p><p>Briyana looked out of the corner of her eye to see that Eros was still staring at his axe, almost as if he was trying to make sure that all of the little ins and outs of the weapon remained after all its time away from his hands. His fascination with the weapon was almost impressive, and Briyana shook her head silently. He sure was a strange creature. She didn't think that she would ever understand him. </p><p>Still, she supposed that she didn't have to. Instead, Briyana needed to focus on the rebellion at hand. She walked towards the nearby wall and picked up a sword that had been set aside. The blade was inside a sheath, and she attached it firmly to the belt at her waist. She checked to make sure that it was secured before taking in a small breath and turning her attention back to the rest of the rebellion before her. </p><p>"Alright," Briyana murmured, determination starting to glitter in her eyes. "Let's do this."</p><p>~~~~~</p><p>The situation was complicated, to say the least. </p><p>Luce knew that she was too kind for her own good. S.M. had stated quite a while ago that there were plans for a rebellion to be carried out on Igni, liberating the leaths from the oppression brought by Surion. Luce had been aware of this for a few weeks, and yet, when the time finally came, it caught her by surprise. She didn't know how to express her shock that all of this was truly happening. She swallowed back her nerves and decided to move out though, and it was how she found herself in the hideout for the resistance beneath the ground level of Igni. </p><p>In a way, it was ironic. The underground tunnel had striking resemblance to the area where Octavia was supposedly killed, and Luce had to force herself to not think about the aftermath of the previous time that she was underground. She shook it off to the best of her ability, not wanting to upset Carys in particular. Cessair asking Luce to help her return Eros' axe had been a convenient distraction, and Luce had accepted with almost uncharacteristic excitement. </p><p>Still, Luce knew that there was no other option if she wished to help the people of Igni who were suffering. They needed her to be able to guide them to victory. Igni was looking for volunteers, and Luce didn't want to simply abandon the people who were suffering so much under Surion's rule. Besides, she had a bone to pick with the man, and she wouldn't have objected to having the chance to have a stab at him. </p><p>Luce remembered the past when the primary issue of everything happening was centered on the death of Octavia Irikai. Times were difficult, but in a way, they were simpler as well, and Luce had to keep herself from thinking about how poorly everything could have gone before. Still, it had wound up alright, and all of the Alight Five were fighting on their side. There were no more issues regarding the generals chasing down S.M. with hopes of defeating her. Instead, there were merely unanswered questions about what had happened to Octavia in the first place, and Luce tried to pull the pieces together on her own. </p><p>Surion had been all too eager to pin the death of Octavia off on S.M., and Luce assumed that it was because he was involved. If he really wanted to know the truth, he never would have reacted with such vitriol. Luce could see his thinly-veiled attempts at using S.M. as a scapegoat a mile away, and she was certainly planning on letting him have it as soon as she saw him once again. He had caused far more problems than any one person ever should have, and everyone who hated him most certainly had a justifiable reason. </p><p>Everybody in the hideout seemed to have a reason to detest the man, as a matter of fact. There was so much contained anger within the space that it was almost agonizing for Luce to be around. Everyone was furious at Surion for everything that he had done in the past, and Luce couldn't blame them. She hated him as well, and she wasn't even privy to the worst of his sins. </p><p>His mere presence in her life was uncomfortable though. There were minimal connections from a personality perspective aside from being overly antagonistic, but Luce couldn't help comparing Surion to Iago, and she had to force herself to focus on something else to keep from thinking about the Thanatos War again. She felt as if she was doomed to do nothing but fight for the rest of her life, but losing her nerve so close to a major battle was not the way to go. She had to remain strong for just a while longer. </p><p>"Everyone! Gather round!" </p><p>Luce's heart skipped a beat at the firm declaration from Briyana, and she let out a small, silent sigh before turning her attention to the leader of the rebellion. This was it. Then again, perhaps it would be for the best that she had to pay all her concentration to the battle at hand. Luce didn't want to be lost in her own thoughts anymore. She knew that she would wind up going through the same motions of frustration and dizzying anguish that she did every other time she was left alone to think, and she was tired of it. At least swinging her sword around would give her something to do aside from think. Maybe that was the real source of salvation all along. </p><p>"The time has come for us to march on the capital. Remember to stay as safe as possible during the invasion. We're here for Surion and his band of bootlicking nobles. The individual soldiers don't matter all that much in the grand scheme of things, and I can guarantee that most of them are leaths hoping to get away from the rule of the king as soon as possible. Keep all of this in mind as we're getting ready to fight back," Briyana declared. "Today, we take the first step to taking back Igni from those who have stolen our right to be happy in the first place. They thought that they could keep us down, but they were most certainly mistaken. They won't be getting away with this. Today, we rise!" </p><p>A chorus of cheers rose up from the crowd, but Luce couldn't bring herself to be openly jubilant. She would have been lying if she said that she wasn't fired up by Briyana's words, but being vocal about it simply wasn't in her emotional range at that moment. However, she could see that the rest of her friends seemed to be having a better time than her, and Carys looked better than she had all day as she listened to Briyana speak. Nebula was watching her with a fond smile, and Helena and Anneliese were whispering to each other about Carys' sudden excitement. </p><p>"We march now!" Briyana declared once the cheering had finally died down enough for her to speak once again. She gestured for everyone to follow her, and the rebellion was surging forward a moment later. The surface was waiting for them, and Luce knew that the fight was just beginning. As soon as they broke through to ground level, the real battle would start, and there was no way of saying how that was going to end. She was going to do all that she could to fight back. She just prayed that it was going to go well. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>The capital was in an uproar as soon as the attack started, and Luce could hear the general cacophony somewhere in the back of her head. It was distant, and picking out individual voices was next to impossible, but she was still trying her best to allow the noise to drown out all of her worries of the past. She gripped tightly at the hilt of her sword, praying that the blade would somehow bring her salvation from the horrors of the world around her. </p><p>The chaos was hard to describe, to put it simply. There were members of the resistance marching forward, making it clear that they were not there to harm civilians. Even though weapons were locked firmly in the hands of the warriors, nobody lashed out. The soldiers of Igni who were stationed throughout the city seemed to understand what was happening, and most of them stood down with false shock plastered across their features to make it seem as if they were too surprised to move. Those who didn't immediately comprehend the growing resistance watched in silence, their stunned expressions real rather than forged. </p><p>Luce lost track of the rest of her team soon afterwards, but she was able to catch a brief glimpse of Nebula's hair. She instinctively tried to weave her way through the crowd to find the other girl, and she could see that Nebula was standing alone after she caught up with her target. Nebula addressed her with surprise at first before nodding in Luce's direction, a smile on her face that hid how nervous she was about all of this. Luce wished that she was able to easily mask her worries with a grin, but she did nothing to fix the expression of stoic cynicism on her face. </p><p>Luce wasn't sure of how much distance they had covered, but she could tell that they were getting closer. The imposing figure of the palace was growing closer, and Nebula's grip on her left wrist was growing tighter. Nebula had intentionally chosen to cling to the hand that didn't hold Luce's blade, and Luce had to admit that such a choice was undoubtedly for the best. The last thing she wanted was to accidentally hurt her friend while trying to carry out the mission. </p><p>"He's in there," Nebula suddenly whispered, snapping Luce out of her daze. She looked over to see that the other girl was staring up at the palace with glassy eyes. "I can just feel it. Surion is in there, and we're going to have to drive him away."</p><p>Luce was about to ask how Nebula was able to tell that he was inside, but she decided not to say anything. The crowd around them suddenly got louder, and Nebula's grip tightened on Luce's wrist. Luce almost yelped in surprise when Nebula's manicured nails started to dig into her skin with increased ferocity, but she was able to keep her cries down. Nebula shot her an apologetic smile a moment later, and Luce allowed all of her concerns to disappear into the corners of her mind. </p><p>With each passing step, the castle got closer, and Luce could tell that her grip was getting tighter on the sword in her hand. She poured far more energy than she should have into making sure that the blade wasn't going to slip free of her grasp. Focusing on the sword and Nebula's iron hold on her wrist were easier than thinking about the war itself. Luce allowed the general din of the air around her to act as a censor that kept out all of her unpleasant thoughts. The mission mattered above all else. Other topics of discussion could wait. </p><p>As Luce continued to watch the palace, she couldn't help but wonder what was happening inside. If Surion truly was inside, what was he doing? What was he thinking? Did he know that this was going to be one of his last days alive? Luce sure hoped so, but she had no way of knowing for sure. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>The palace was in an uproar. </p><p>Surion had heard the news from a few members of his guard, and from there, the information had spread like wildfire that there were resistance fighters marching on the castle. All of the noble mages who had been coming to visit spiraled into panic, and countless people were fleeing for the chance at remaining safe. Surion understood that not everybody was going to be able to escape though, and he was more than willing to do what he had to in order to make his way out of the castle. </p><p>"Truly, they're all fools," Faerner remarked from Surion's side. The snake mage shook his head and clicked his tongue in disproval. "You're the king of the planet. It's only natural that your escape would take priority over all of these simpletons. How about we get out of here and leave the rest of these people behind?"</p><p>At one point, Surion would have declined Faerner's offer. At one point, Surion would have thought of his heir and granddaughter, Octavia. At one point, Surion would have insisted that she come with them. </p><p>But those times were in the past, and Surion wanted nothing to do with Octavia anymore. She was dead and gone, and she deserved it for going behind his back. All of the good deeds in the world couldn't save her from losing his favor as soon as she turned to the leath population rather than embracing the mages around her. </p><p>Surion only thought of Octavia for a fleeting moment, and his mind filled with bitterness at her betrayal before he nodded in response to Faerner's prompt. "Of course," he said. His voice was even and deadpan, and he was walking after the younger man not long afterwards. Surion's expression remained stoic and solemn. </p><p>He passed by many mages who were chattering amongst themselves to try and find a way out of the castle that would keep them from being spotted by the resistance. Those who could create portals were jumping through them to abandon the castle, not allowing any others to get too close out of a wish for personal security above everything else. The panic was so thick and heavy that one could almost imagine plucking it from the air and crushing it between their fingers. </p><p>As Surion and Faerner walked through the crowd of nobles, they received many questions about what the people in the castle should do next. Surion responded the same way each time. His expression was detached and careless, telling everyone in his path silently that he didn't care what happened to them. When he received reactions of shock, he didn't give the people responsible a second glance. After all, he was a king, and his life was above all of the nobles in that building. Leaths were at the bottom of the pyramid and bowed to everybody. On the other hand, Surion was at the top, and everybody bowed to the king. </p><p>Faerner came across a small room in the castle that appeared abandoned, and he pressed one hand against a particular spot in the wall, opening a hole nearby. Surion walked through before Faerner chased after him, and the door slid shut behind them. Surion glanced over to Faerner as they continued to navigate their way through the underground tunnels beneath the palace. </p><p>There was a complex network of passageways that extended outwards from the castle throughout the town that surrounded it. Only a few were aware of its existence because of how rarely they were used. The last time that the tunnels had been needed was a handful of months ago, and before that, it had been more than a decade. Many of them were abandoned, and if Surion had to guess, he would assume that it was an old tunnel that was being used as the resistance's base. </p><p>The previous time that the tunnels had been needed had been when Octavia accidentally let her true self slip to Surion. She showed her true colors, and he didn't respond well in the slightest. He remembered screaming at her for daring to betray the glorious planet of Igni, and she took off running as soon as she was able to gather her bearings. Surion had sent Faerner, one of his newest retainers, after her, and from there, the job was simple. When Surion was next summoned away from his throne, the deed had been completed. </p><p>Faerner had taken him through the network of tunnels to the place where he had killed Octavia. They had closed off the area from the rest of the the passageways to keep people from getting suspicious or snooping into their business. Of course, that didn't stop S.M. and the brats from Alitia, and they saw the consequences that awaited those who crossed the king of Igni. </p><p>There were lucky. If Surion had been in a worse mood when he learned the truth about what they were doing, he would have ordered them all to be killed no matter what. Part of him had seen fit to give them mercy because of how young they were, but he supposed that didn't matter anymore. After all, they were undoubtedly fighting alongside the rebellion. He couldn't imagine that such meddlesome people would truly stay out of his business after all the damage they had done. </p><p>Surion couldn't wait for them to realize just how powerful a foe they had made. He couldn't help but chuckle to himself, shaking his head in silence. "They don't know who they're dealing with," Surion declared. Only Faerner could hear him, but he didn't care in the slightest. He had been alright with a small dose of mercy against the children up until then, but plans had changed. The next time that he saw them, or any of their other allies from Millennia, he wasn't going to hold back. Surion hadn't stepped on a battlefield in many years, but that didn't mean that he wasn't skilled. In fact, he was more than capable of destroying all of them without a second thought. </p><p>Faerner let out a snicker from Surion's side. "They never have," he agreed. He continued to lead Surion away from the castle, a smirk on his face all the while. Something about him was captivating, and given how ruthless Surion could be, it was clear why they had been attracted to one another in the first place. </p><p>"The next time that you see them, they have to die," Surion told Faerner sternly. "No more holding back. They've made a grave error in fighting in a war that isn't any of their concern, and we'll simply have to show them what fate awaits people like that. Do we understand each other?"</p><p>"Of course," Faerner responded, his smile slippery and impossible to read. Surion didn't give Faerner a second glance despite this though, and he focused instead on continuing to move through the tunnels. As soon as this had all blown over, he was going to plan something that he hadn't been forced to do in a long time. </p><p>An execution. </p><p>He couldn't help but smile at the thought. If the people of Igni were going to rebel, he was simply going to have to put them all in their place. Peace was a forgotten memory in the wake of revolution, and Surion was going to make sure that it would never be remembered again. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>The raw numbers of the rebellion army wound up leaving Luce feeling somewhat useless. She was nowhere near the front of the crowd, and she missed out on much of the action that came with their siege of the palace. Briyana led the charge after transforming into a stunning Inlustris form with wings dyed pink, orange, and yellow. She was nothing short of incredible with a sword, and she was able to arrest countless mages in such a small span of time that Luce lost track within the first few minutes. </p><p>The members of the resistance were immediately sent throughout the building to see if there were any signs of the king. Noble mages who had dropped into the castle that day were being taken into captivity left and right. Luce assumed that this day in particular had been chosen for the invasion precisely because of how many mages were going to be present. Because of the large number of nobles in the area, the rebellion would be able to save time by taking many of them into captivity all at once. It was a strong plan, and Luce had to admit that it worked. </p><p>She was still with Nebula as the people from the army began to spread out in search of Surion. Luce hadn't caught sight of anyone else quite yet, but she was sure that she would see them again soon. She was silent as she and Nebula wandered the halls, never allowing her guard to slip. Nebula was understandably tense as well, never quite able to bring herself to relax in her moment of anxiety. </p><p>As the pair continued to search, Luce closed her eyes for a handful of seconds. When she did, she tried to imagine the impressive structure that was the Ignite palace covered in ice. Luce had heard rumors of what Carys had done to escape, but she still couldn't even begin to imagine how incredible it must have looked. Luce knew that she didn't have much time to admire the handiwork of her friend though, and she forced herself to pay full attention to the matter at hand only a few moments later. </p><p>"I don't think he's here," Nebula admitted, snapping Luce out of her trance. "If he was, we would have heard something by now. I'm willing to bet that he left all of those mages behind and just left... I can't feel him here."</p><p>Luce opened her mouth to ask what Nebula meant, but she found that she didn't need to soon afterwards when she remembered the types of magic that Nebula had. The other girl primarily utilized illusion magic, but that wasn't all that she had at her disposal. Nebula had explained quite a while ago that she possessed a Moonlight Blessing since her father was granted that power by Ragnor before the War of Starlight. Karver had betrayed Ragnor soon after the fighting started, leaving him with a Moonlight Blessing but no allies. Nebula carried the burden of possessing a Moonlight Blessing as a result. </p><p>Nebula was far more refined with her powers than Luce ever had been, so it only made sense that the other girl would be able to tell if Surion was nearby. Surion possessed a Moonlight Blessing as well, after all, so if anyone was going to know where he was, it would be Nebula. If the other girl couldn't feel his presence though, Luce was willing to assume that he wasn't there at all. It was an unfortunate outcome, but she couldn't think of anything else that made sense. </p><p>"Damn," Luce murmured. She still didn't put her sword away no matter how desperate she was to relieve herself of the constant readiness that came with fighting. She glanced around the area one more time before letting out a sigh and shaking her head. "We should go back and tell Briyana then. She's going to want to hear that he isn't around anymore."</p><p>"I think she already knows," Nebula admitted with a small sigh. "We've gone this long without results, so somebody has to be able to put the pieces together and see that he's long gone by now."</p><p>Luce nodded slowly, unsure of how to respond to that. She knew that Nebula was right, but she didn't want to admit fully that Surion was gone. Part of her was still clinging to the hope that they would be able to end the fighting then and there, to defeat Surion once and for all before he could cause any further issues. If he was really still at large, that meant the fighting was only going to drag on for longer, and that was the last thing Luce wanted. </p><p>Still, she supposed that she didn't have much of a choice. She allowed herself to put her sword away, though the motion was slow and hesitant. "We took the palace, but we still couldn't defeat Surion," Luce muttered with a bitter shake of her head. She had known going into this conflict that it would likely last quite a while due to how slippery and monstrous Surion was, but that didn't stop her disappointment from firmly taking hold the instant that a large obstacle presented itself in her path. To put it nicely, this was frustrating. To put it bluntly, this was agonizing. </p><p>"We're going to get there soon enough," Nebula assured Luce with a light smile. She gestured for the other girl to follow her, and they started to retreat back to the main area of the castle that they had come in through. "He's going to be found sooner or later. It's only a matter of time. Briyana isn't going to give up until he's been caught and tried for his crimes against the leaths of Igni."</p><p>Luce nodded her agreement. Briyana was most certainly a person who knew how to get what she wanted. Surion used that same power for the sake of his own gain, but Briyana utilized it to cover for her own sense of loss. Luce was relieved to be on the same side as Briyana, and she couldn't help but think about how awful it would have been to need to fight against the rebellion leader on the battlefield. Upon remembering Briyana's prowess with a sword, Luce shuddered at the thought. Luce was experienced with combat, yes, but she wouldn't stand a chance against someone of Briyana's caliber, and that wasn't even Briyana's manifestation. Fighting against the leader of the resistance would be futile, and it was only a matter of tiem before Surion saw that as well. </p><p>Upon arriving back in the main area of the palace, Luce saw that Helena and Anneliese were standing together. Both of them waved over Luce and Nebula, and the four remained together as they waited for the remainder of their party to arrive. The castle was in a controlled state of chaos, and there were celebrations of victory all around them. All the same, disappointment hung in the air. </p><p>They had managed to claim the castle without any issues, but Surion was still out there, and they had no way of knowing when or where he was going to resurface. As long as Surion remained at large, their war was at risk of falling apart. They had to find him as soon as possible. Luce didn't even want to imagine what could have happened if he was left to scheme for too long. She didn't need any outside influence to know that the results would be catastrophic. </p><p><em>Please</em>, Luce begged silently. <em>Please let this be over soon. </em></p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I'm so weirdly disoriented today but it's okay here's the update</p><p>-Digital</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0038"><h2>38. XXXVIII: Resolve of a Soldier</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Luce discusses the war with Michaela as Cerise attempts to close the gap with her N-Yx relatives.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Luce felt caught between two worlds, and she knew that she wasn't the only one. </p><p>The invasion of Igni's palace had gone off without a hitch, leaving her and the rest of her friends to settle back into normal life. Briyana and Eros were handling business back on Igni, and everyone from other planets had been given the chance to pull away to live as normal until they were next needed. Luce didn't know which idea was worse. On one hand, if she was constantly working as a soldier like she had during the Thanatos War, there was no way for her to escape. On the other hand, if she was going back and forth between Igni and Millennia, she constantly felt the pull of the other no matter where she was. </p><p>In other words, she was not having a good time. </p><p>Zylphia had insisted that as many students as possible return to classes like normal regardless of if they had volunteered to help with the Igni campaign. Luce decided to go along with it, relieved when she learned that Zylphia had asked for a lessened workload to be given to students, she was far less stressed than she otherwise would have been. There was still a lot for her to worry about involving what was happening elsewhere, but she was willing to accept what mercies she could get. She didn't know how she was going to get out of this alive if she didn't take full advantage of it. </p><p>Luce should have seen it coming when she got an invitation to go and visit with Michaela. She knew that her professor could easily see right through her when something was on her mind, and it hadn't taken long at all for Michaela to see that Luce was bothered during her combat class. Luce had accepted Michaela's offer because she didn't want to risk looking suspicious if she didn't follow up on it. She knew exactly what Michaela was going to ask her about, so she simply walked into the office silently and settled into her regular spot. Luce knew that her posture was abysmal, but she didn't bother fixing it since she knew that Michaela wasn't going to nag her about it. </p><p>Michaela was sitting behind her desk when she saw that Luce had arrived, and a gentle yet shaky smile was on her face. "Are you sure that you're alright?" she questioned softly, tilting her head slightly to the side. Luce didn't know why she bothered asking; they both knew the answer was negatory. Anyone who knew Luce well enough could see the way that her shoulders had grown knotted with tension in the past few days. </p><p>Luce sighed. "I think you already know the answer to that," she murmured, and she was right. Michaela's shoulders deflated at Luce's words, and the younger girl knew that she had struck something in her professor. This was an absolute nightmare to deal with, but it wasn't as if she had a choice in the matter. </p><p>"It's difficult," Michaela said simply. It was the most fundamental fact of Luce's existence, and as true as it was, it felt like a grievous understatement. Difficult didn't even begin to describe the full extent of her recent issues involving the war with Igni. Nothing could ever fully explain the suffering that she had grown so used to since hearing about what was going on with the other planet. She had been struggling ever since she heard about the Alight Five. The war was only making things worse. Luce knew that this was the only way to end everything and prevent future conflict from escalating, but that didn't help to ease her concerns in the moment. </p><p>"I thought I was getting better," Luce muttered. It was true; before she had left for Millennia for her customary break from classes, Luce had been improving. She and the rest of her friends had opened up to one another and decided that they would help one another through any issues that arose in their path. She had been able to go to sleep peacefully for a short period of time, and she had absolutely loved being able to enjoy peace of mind for the first time in what felt like ages. </p><p>Tanith's news about Millennia planning to march on Igni didn't help. In fact, it was the cause of everything falling apart. Luce had parted with Lianna on terms that could be considered lukewarm at best, but she knew that her aunt understood the root of her conflict. Lianna was a compassionate person, so if anyone was going to acknowledge that Luce was struggling, it would be her. </p><p>Luce didn't know what to do about it all though. There was simply too much for her to struggle with on her own. She had moved past her complex involving having to be strong for the sake of others. In that respect, she had gotten better about all that was happening. However, that didn't fix all of the problems that she had, and Luce still felt as if there was far too much weight on her shoulders to be natural. She was still a teenager, and yet, she was marching off to war for the second time in less than a year. It was too much for her to deal with on her own. </p><p>"Recovery isn't linear," Michaela reminded her. "We all have highs and lows as we try to move past something traumatic. You need to allow others to help you. Trying to carry all of this weight alone isn't going to help anyone, but especially not you."</p><p>Luce nodded slowly. She knew that all of what Michaela was saying was true, but there was still something inside of her that was conflicted. She wasn't sure of how to describe it, but it bothered her. Her stomach was tied firmly into a knot, and all Luce could do was curl one arm around her abdomen in an attempt to ease the phantom pain. </p><p>"You're strong for getting through all of this," Michaela continued, reaching out her hand over the desk to clasp Luce's fingers. "Don't ever forget that. You're making progress even if it doesn't feel like it. The war is temporary. After it's over, you're going to have the rest of your life ahead of you. One day, the battle will end, and Igni will be freed. You will be freed as well. I'm going to make sure of that no matter what."</p><p>Luce's eyes went wide at Michaela's words, and she looked up to meet her teacher's eyes. "You're going to be fighting too?" she questioned, trying to figure out if she was more mortified or relieved to know that Michaela was going to be joining her on the battlefield. </p><p>Michaela nodded. "Later on, yes. Headmistress Satim believes that we might be needed to end the fighting against Igni. We weren't able to come along for the first attack, but we will be joining you soon enough. Many people here on Millennia have been upset with Igni's policies for years. Their treatment of leaths is simply disgusting, and we're finally being given the chance to voice just how upset we are. I don't think that there's anything anyone can do to keep us from fighting with you," she explained. </p><p>Luce nodded slowly, unsure of what she could even say. She rolled Michaela's words over in her head, thinking about the way her teacher had said so confidently that they would get through this. She wanted to believe that so desperately, so why couldn't she? The war would end one day for better or worse, and Luce was going to have the rest of her life ahead of her. Igni's mage upper class was already on the ropes after the first invasion. It was only going to get harder for their foes  from then on. They had the clear advantage. All they. had to do was take advantage of it. </p><p>"Yeah... It will end," Luce concluded with a nod. She could see Michaela smile out of the corner of her vision, and Luce glanced up to meet her eyes as a small laugh left her lips. The sound was hollow and humorless, but it filled the silence, so she was more than willing to embrace it. "You know, you would make a great mother."</p><p>Michaela's eyes went wide with surprise before she settled back into her regular elegant grace. "I suppose so," she murmured. "I never thought about it that way. I haven't ever had the need to settle down with anyone to start a family."</p><p>"I'm sure that you would be great at it," Luce told Michaela. "I mean, if you're this nice to me, someone who isn't related to you at all, imagine how incredible you could be when given the chance to interact with someone who's actually your birth child."</p><p>Michaela let out a small laugh of her own. It was far from being genuine, but it sounded more real than Luce's had. "I suppose so," she repeated. She pulled her hands away from Luce, giving the girl the freedom needed to leave the room. </p><p>That was just what Luce did. She rose to her feet and gave Michaela a wave. "I'll see you later," she said to her professor before heading for the door. She left Michaela behind a moment later, and Luce was out in the hallway soon afterwards. She started to navigate herself back to her room, wondering about just how amazing it would have been to have a person like Michaela in her life growing up. </p><p>A familiar pit of grief opened inside of Luce's chest, and she bit down on her lip in response. Michaela's kindness reminded Luce of just how much she wished she had been given access to such care growing up. Dawn had been gone for years though, and while she was undoubtedly still alive, Luce missed her terribly. She longed for the attention of someone she couldn't even remember. </p><p>Having a mother's love would undoubtedly make issues of this nature far easier to cope with. Dawn understood the issues that came with war, and she would easily be able to offer advice to her daughter about what was to come next. Luce shook off the thought as soon as she was able to while walking through the halls of Alitia. She didn't want to think about Dawn when she was already distracted with so much. It would only remind her again and again about what she didn't have. </p><p>Luce's eyes clouded with tears as she reached for the handle of her room's door, but she couldn't tell if she was crying because she missed Dawn, because she wanted the war the end, or because the world was suffocating in how overwhelming it was. She eventually decided that it was a mixture of the three since that answer was simpler than actually having to give it thought. She rubbed at her eyes with the back of one hand before walking inside the room. Nobody saw her as she made her way to her specific area of the dorm, so Luce allowed herself to wordlessly collapse on her bed as tears streamed silently down her face. She didn't bother trying to stop them, and the silence suddenly felt more deafening than any sound ever could. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>If Cerise was being completely honest, she didn't know why she was doing this. </p><p>Why had she thought this was a good idea? She knew that she was moving too quickly, and yet, she allowed herself to be caught up in the whims of her own concern. Cerise had been stressed after the invasion of Igni's palace, so she started making rash decisions. She normally wasn't quite so vulnerable to the sway of her emotions, but something inside of her pushed her in a direction that she didn't want to approach but knew she would have to embrace eventually. It was unsettling, but she supposed that it was best she took care of it sooner rather than later. </p><p>Cerise was silent the entire ship ride to N-Yx. She didn't know what she would be able to say even if she wanted to talk. A royal attendant had come to fetch her after she expressed a wish to meet her siblings back on her home planet. She had spent time with her parents, but she was sure that her three siblings were going to want to meet her at some point too. She swallowed dryly as the space around her flew by. Normally, she would have watched it with attentive eyes, picking out key points that she recognized, but she couldn't bring herself to take interest in even that as she traveled back to N-Yx. </p><p>The ship finally settled down in the capital, and Cerise thanked the driver with a murmur before getting off the vehicle. She normally traveled by teleporting, but she somehow got the feeling that her parents weren't going to tolerate that. In fact, as soon as she mentioned that she wanted to meet with her three siblings, they had jumped to send someone her direction. Cerise wasn't sure that she was worth the effort, but when she remembered that she was technically a princess beneath all of her issues involving Igni, the pieces slipped back into place. </p><p>She didn't know how to approach the concept of being royalty even after being given so much time to come to terms with the truth. It felt distant, as if she and Meili were two different people. Meili was the Blend princess who had been lost while on Igni. Cerise was the deadpan soldier who had come from nowhere to rise to greatness. She knew that the names had the same meaning since they were the same person, but Cerise still felt odd when she connected the pieces in such a way. It was uncomfortable, as if the title was a weight glued to her head rather than something she could carry effortlessly. She couldn't escape the name of Meili no matter how desperately she wanted to simply be Cerise. </p><p>Cerise had done some research on her siblings before agreeing to meet with them. There were three of them, first of all, and all of them were older than she was by at least three years. The oldest of the four was Aimee, and she was set to take over the throne one day as a priestess of the moon. She was six years older than Cerise. Eneri was next, and he was four years older than Cerise. He wasn't much of a fighter, but he was a tactical genius despite his pragmatic and distant nature. Finally, there was Taemi, the youngest out of Cerise's siblings who stood at three years older than her. Their specialty came in combat, and they were known for being a bit of a goof when not on the battlefield. They knew how to get serious though, and Cerise only prayed that she didn't force her sibling to shift in such a way as soon as they met. </p><p>The walk to the palace was agonizing. It wasn't all that long from a distance perspective, but it felt as if time was intentionally crawling on as slowly as it could manage solely for the purpose of annoying Cerise. She wasn't sure if she was moving slowly because she didn't want to face the truth or because the world truly was trying to hold her back. She wasn't even sure that she wanted to know the answer. </p><p>As the palace of N-Yx came into view, Cerise was left stunned at how impressive it appeared. The building appeared to be made of pure crystal and obsidian, and pearls lined the entrance. All three materials were known for their connection to moon magic, and given how heavily the planet was tied to the power of Moonlight, it certainly made sense that the palace appeared this way. Cerise couldn't believe that, in another timeline, she would have called this place home. In another world, where Surion hadn't stolen her away in search of power, she would have been given the chance to live on N-Yx with her birth family. </p><p>And yet, despite everything, Cerise couldn't ask for that. She didn't want to simply seal away her experiences on Igni and pretend that nothing happened. She was glad that she had been given the chance to meet the other members of the Alight Five. She cared for December more than anyone else, and the remaining parties in the Alight Five were the family that she needed when she was growing up. Cerise had been happy with them even if Igni was one of the worst planets to live on in all of Magia. Coming back to N-Yx so suddenly felt like trying to cram herself into a tiny chair that she had never fit into in the first place, like she was a human child trying to force her body into a tiny dollhouse. </p><p>The guards by the door of the palace understood that Cerise was coming, and they opened the doors for her when she got closer. Cerise nodded in their direction, unsure as to if she could do much of anything else, before walking across the threshold and into the main area of the palace. She swallowed dryly to keep herself from losing her nerve. </p><p>Cerise could see five people standing on the other side of the doors. Shiho and Zaeran were together at the back of the cluster. A tall girl, undoubtedly Aimee, stood between them. One of her arms was wrapped around a younger boy, and Cerise assumed that this had to be Eneri. The shortest of the people, Taemi, was at the front, a wide grin on their face. Despite being three years older than Cerise, they were shorter than she was by a decent three or four inches. </p><p>"It's nice to see you," Shiho greeted with a light smile, tilting her head gently to the side. She closed the distance between herself and her youngest daughter before pulling Cerise into a gentle hug, careful to not be too overbearing in the process. Cerise hesitated at first before returning the gesture. She wanted to say something, but she couldn't force the words out no matter how hard she tried. </p><p>"Allow us to introduce ourselves," Aimee began, a gentle grin on her lips. She effortlessly took control of the situation, managing to hide her worry and hesitation without any concerns. "My name is Aimee, and this is Eneri and Taemi. We have heard that you go by the name of Cerise. It's a pleasure to meet you, Cerise."</p><p>As Cerise pulled away from Shiho, she saw that Aimee had extended her hand for a shake. Cerise still felt as if her tongue was too large for her mouth, as if speaking was an impossible feat that she simply wasn't capable of, so she simply took Aimee's hand and allowed her sister to take the lead in a small shaking motion. </p><p>Cerise forced herself to look at Aimee, Eneri, and Taemi soon afterwards, and she realized just how similar all of them looked to her. Aimee had dark hair that was tied in a half-up style, and streaks of deep blue could be seen among the deep obsidian. Eneri's black hair was far shorter, but there was an electric blue streak running through his bangs that matched Cerise's hairstyle nearly exactly. Taemi's hair was mostly tied into a messy braid to match their lopsided smile, and a few strands of blue were easy to pick out when Cerise looked closer. </p><p>Cerise was used to feeling like a sore thumb back on Igni. Most of the people that she came into contact with were very clearly from Igni while she was blatantly a foreigner. Cerise always knew that there was something different about herself when compared to the rest of the people of Igni, but she never quite thought that there would be people so similar to her. It made sense, but she hadn't ever put critical thought to it. Cerise felt strange and out of place on Igni even when with December and the other members of the Alight Five. On N-Yx, however, she felt like just another face in the crowd, and she was more than happy to blend into the shadows there. Then again, she didn't know how possible that would be given her heritage, but she was still willing to accept it. </p><p>"It's nice to meet you too," Cerise forced herself to say, but even as she heard herself speaking, she couldn't believe that she was actually the one talking. The words felt strange, but she forced herself to have faith that she was speaking. </p><p>"We understand that this is a lot for you to deal with all at once, but we're willing to be patient with you," Shiho assured Cerise, resting one hand on her shoulder as the latter admired her older siblings. "If there's anything that we can do for you, all you need to do is say so."</p><p>Cerise nodded slowly. She wanted to be able to embrace her family more than anything else. She knew that this was what she deserved after all that she had been through. Cerise deserved peace given what she had suffered through ever since first arriving on Igni. She had been a victim of kidnapping, for crying out loud. She needed the chance to relax and be happy, but it still felt strange and unreal, as if she was merely watching herself stand there in front of strangers without the power to say anything. It felt like she was more of a puppet on a string than a person who actually wanted to communicate with others for the first time in ages. </p><p>"What do you want us to call you?" Taemi suddenly questioned, tilting their head to the side slightly as they watched Cerise with a strange sense of silent curiosity. Aimee glanced down at them, completely mortified, but didn't say anything. </p><p>Cerise knew that she was going to have to consider the answer to that. She knew that her family would want to hear her go by Meili again. It was what they had known her as for much of her life, and they had always been desperate to see Meili once again. Seeing Cerise was simply a byproduct of their desperation for Meili. However, on the other hand, Cerise didn't feel as if the name was hers. It was distant and didn't fit with her. She wasn't Meili, and she didn't think that she ever would be. Meili had been kidnapped and used as a soldier on Igni, but Cerise had managed to pull together the pieces and make something of a terrible situation. </p><p>"Cerise," she finally asserted. "I want you to call me Cerise." It felt somehow far more personal for her to ask them to address her as Cerise rather than Meili. It was the first step to accepting them fully as part of her new life rather than simply leaving them in the past. That would have been the easy solution, but she didn't want to do that. This was difficult, but it wasn't impossible, and Cerise wanted to prove that she would be able to handle it. They would all be able to find a solution if they put enough effort into it. </p><p>"Of course," Eneri nodded, his expression impossible to read in its endless stoicism. Cerise likely would have been unnerved by how blunt he was if not for her own demeanor being so similar to his. She knew how people like him functioned because it was how she worked a strong majority of the time. She was distant from her emotions, but she wanted to change that, and interacting with her family was the first step to finally becoming the person that she had wanted to become for so many years. </p><p>"You'll have to tell us about yourself sometime," Aimee said next, her tone oddly conversational for the heavy subject that she was discussing. "We would be more than happy to hear about all of your past endeavors, Cerise. I understand that we are pressed for time, but this is an important first step."</p><p>Cerise nodded slowly at Aimee's words. The older girl was most certainly wise on these matters. Even though this was an awful situation, Aimee was making it feel a lot easier with her casual smile and gentle charm. Even if there was no way for them to know how this was going to end, Aimee was still determined for them to all try to make the most of it. Cerise wasn't sure about how she was going to open up to them, but she knew that Aimee was right. This was the first step, and that was undoubtedly the hardest one to take. This was progress regardless of how distant it felt. </p><p>"I would love to hear about you all too," Cerise told Aimee, and she felt warmth blossom deep in her chest. She meant the words with everything that she was, and she already found herself consumed in a yearning urge to understand. Cerise didn't consider herself a deliberately curious person under most circumstances. She took truths that were handed to her and simply allowed her doubt to fall by the wayside. Her past repression of curiosity meant nothing as she watched her family though, and she wanted nothing more than to know more about them. They were different from what she was used to from December, but that didn't have to be a bad thing. </p><p>"We're proud of you," Eneri suddenly cut in, lacking anything that resembled emotional tact. It was clear that Aimee was the warmest of the three siblings, but Cerise didn't mind Eneri's blunt nature in the slightest. There were traces of a smile starting to form in his eyes. </p><p>Cerise attempted to ask what Eneri was talking about, but he cut her off by holding one hand to silence her. "You're fighting in a war that you don't need to get involved with because you care about other people. Is that not the crux of nobility?" he questioned. </p><p>Cerise didn't know how to respond to that, but she wasn't sure that she had to. After all, her siblings were fully aware of the answer, and they all had a strange sense of understanding when it came to one another. She nodded slowly in response to Eneri's words, trying to hide the way that she was feeling so suddenly joyful over what he had said. </p><p>She kicked herself a moment later. Why was she trying to hide it? These people were her family members, and even if it was going to take time for her to ease herself into their dynamic after so many years away, they were meant to accept her vulnerability. They were supposed to understand that she wasn't perfect and do what they could to support her through her greatest mistakes. December had most certainly done that, and she had been under no obligation to care for Cerise. The royal family of N-Yx was completely different, but Cerise had no doubt that they would still care for her if she expressed that it was what she needed. </p><p>"I'm going to come back to you all," Cerise declared firmly. She didn't know where the words came from, but she didn't doubt their honesty in the slightest. She was positive that this was what she wanted. It was going to be difficult, but she was going to bridge the gap between the two sides of her life. She was no longer bound to Igni specifically, so she was going to reach out to N-Yx while maintaining the contact with her comrades from the Alight Five. Balance was a difficult thing to obtain, but she was determined to find it no matter what crossed her path. </p><p>"We know," Zaeran commented simply. There was a weary smile on his face, but he didn't seem to mind in the slightest that he was being forced to show such weakness. This was how family was meant to be. They were allowed to be weak and vulnerable with one another. One day, Cerise was determined to understand such. She knew that it was a fact, but knowing it and understanding it were separate entities, and she was longing for the latter of the two. </p><p>Cerise gave her family one final wave, and a serene grin appeared on her face. She had initially thought that this was going to be a terrible idea, and yet, she was overjoyed as she walked away from the palace to return to Millennia. She had taken the first step to finding peace, and she already rather enjoyed the path that she was on. </p><p>Cerise looked down at her hands as she made her way back to the ship that had brought her to N-Yx. She wouldn't need to fight against the flow of time after the war ended, and when that time came, she was going to fully acquaint herself with her family. In fact, she was likely going to consider spending further time on N-Yx after all had been said and done. Cerise could see herself enjoying herself with the rest of her family, and she was determined to close the distance that had been created between them thanks to Igni's influence. </p><p>However, the war was going to have to end in order for her to reach that point. Cerise smiled to herself as she walked back to the ship, and she knew that her mind had been made up. She was going to end Surion's pathetic life, and then she was going to see what the future had in store for her. Even if she had to execute him herself, she was going to take a step towards the new horizon, and she would never again be the emotionless soldier she had been raised as. </p>
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          <p>This update is late by a few hours but shhhh I'm doing my best</p><p>-Digital</p>
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<a name="section0039"><h2>39. XXXIX: Pained Reunion</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Nebula receives a request to meet with Fromir at Sierra.</p>
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    <p>Nebula hadn't even been planning on meeting with her brother when she first received his invitation. Something about Fromir's message unsettled her though, and she found herself making her way to Sierra so that she could speak with him once again. Fromir had been doing a good job about communicating with her when there was an issue involving the war that she needed to know about, but he had seemingly been ignoring his own emotional wellbeing in favor of offering her information. Nebula somehow knew that it went deeper than that though, so she made her way over to Sierra when she was able to find a break between sessions of homework at Sacred Heart. </p><p>Nebula walked slowly into her brother's office, and she looked up to see that Fromir had fallen asleep waiting for something else to happen. He had his arms folded on the desk to be used as a makeshift pillow, and his breathing had evened out into something peaceful by the time that Nebula arrived. She couldn't help but wonder if Fromir even remembered inviting her at all, and she cringed at the thought of her brother being so overwhelmingly exhausted. </p><p>To put it simply, Nebula's relationship with Fromir had always been complicated. He had been the headmaster of Sierra for a year or so by the time that Nebula was born, and that kept them from interacting much. Karver was a teacher at Sierra, but he tended to slide back and forth between Neyama and Millennia when he could manage it. Not many teachers at the Millennium Six found such a frequent commute of teleportation to be worth it, but Karver was insistent on bringing Nebula up in her mother's birthplace. </p><p>As much as Nebula appreciated her upbringing on Neyama, it left a wide divide between herself and Fromir. She barely ever had the chance to see him, and they didn't exactly see eye to eye because of how little they interacted. Every time that they spoke throughout Nebula's childhood, it felt stilted and awkward somehow, and Nebula couldn't help but wonder if she and Fromir were meant to be interacting in such a way at all. Fromir wasn't exactly fond of Karver, and that only made the rift between them wider than it already was. It was an uncomfortable situation, but she didn't want it to be like that anymore. </p><p>Nebula wasn't sure when her detached apathy towards Fromir had shifted into something more, but she was positive that it had already settled in by the time that the new semester began. Perhaps it had something to do with the way that Fromir had been so utterly beaten down during the Thanatos War. Nebula wasn't positive herself, and she didn't want to reflect upon the previous semester to find out either. She just made herself go towards Sierra, figuring that the walk would keep her from thinking too much about it. She needed to keep from thinking, if she was being honest with herself. </p><p>The war had given Nebula more than enough to think about, and she knew that she was only going to feel worse if she was forced to remember what happened with Iago Thanatos prior to the Alight Five appearing. She forced all of her worrisome thoughts aside to the best of her ability before walking towards her brother, cringing at the site of him so exhausted. He had likely fallen asleep when the pressure of daily work grew to be too much for him. It wasn't exactly unheard of for Fromir, but it still bothered Nebula. </p><p>She placed one hand against his shoulder with intentions of gently shaking him awake. Much to her surprise though, Fromir jumped awake with a start. His eyes were wide and glassy, and Nebula knew that he was still too groggy and tired to see her. Fromir almost lashed out with a strike in her direction, but he managed to stop himself as soon as he realized who she was. He let out a slow, measured breath before nodding to himself slowly. "Nebula," he murmured. </p><p>"Hey," Nebula greeted. She took a step back as Fromir adjusted himself into a sitting position once again. She couldn't help but feel as if she was seeing something that she shouldn't have been as she watched Fromir pull himself away from exhaustion. Even if she was his sister, she didn't feel as if she deserved this right. They had never been close, and they weren't even close in present times either. The effort was being made on both sides, but Nebula still felt terrible awkward about it all. </p><p>Fromir rubbed at his eyes as he looked over at Nebula, and he ran one hand through his hair. "That's right... I said that I wanted you to come and see me, didn't I...?" he asked himself under his breath. The syllables were slurred together, and Nebula could barely tell them apart. She cringed at the sound, but she forced herself to not look too disappointed. The last thing she wanted to do was upset Fromir given the situation they were in. He was clearly pushing himself too far, and she wanted to do what she could to lessen the grief he was enduring due to the fighting. </p><p>"Is there any particular reason you wanted to see me?" Nebula questioned, trying to keep things as simple as possible until Fromir had snapped out of his dazed trance. She sat down in a chair that had been positioned in front of his desk, and she swallowed nervously as she did her best to settle into place. </p><p>Fromir hesitated for a moment, trying his best to bring his mind back into focus. The seconds where he was silent were agonizing to Nebula, and she did her best to keep from looking nervous or upset with the state that he was in. Even if they didn't know one another quite as well as they should have, Nebula found herself worried as her stomach twisted with anxiety. </p><p>"I just wanted to talk to you about the recent fights," Fromir eventually replied, managing to shake out the cobwebs of his own exhaustion. Still, it appeared as if the issue had merely been shoved to the side rather than eliminated entirely. "I'm worried about all that's been happening."</p><p>Nebula couldn't help but feel as if that was the understatement of the century. Fromir had always been incredibly sensitive to the feelings of others, and when the people that he cared for suffered, he did as well. It was his ridiculously strong sense for empathy that often brought him trouble, and Nebula hated it. As much as she appreciated his capacity for kindness, she wished that he had the ability to look after himself once in a while. </p><p>"I'm going to be alright. We were able to take care of everything in the first fight, and that's what matters for now," Nebula assured him, a gentle smile on her face. She didn't exactly feel up to reassuring Fromir and his ridiculously large list of anxieties, but she knew that there wasn't much she could do about it. Fromir was suffering, and Nebula was far from being heartless. Even if she was nervous about the war as well, she was willing to shove her worries aside for the sake of helping him through his crisis. </p><p>It was a delicate game of emotional back and forth that Nebula and Fromir played, opposing forces in a round of chess that they had been at their entire lives. Fromir never wanted to upset her, and she didn't want to hurt him either. They treated one another with a distant sort of regard, always too afraid to close the distance to reach out but wanting to do what they could to help. Nebula and Fromir cared about each other, but they were afraid of what could happen if they reached out. It was a fitting punishment for them both, but that didn't stop it from bothering Nebula. </p><p>"We're still trying to find Surion, aren't we?" Fromir questioned, and Nebula couldn't help but wonder just how disoriented he truly was. Fromir clearly wasn't sleeping enough at night, and she was positive that it was because of his nerves oriented in the war. It was painful to see him in such poor state, and she wished that there was something she could do for him. Then again, what could she do to order him around and force him to rest? It felt like an unfitting privilege that she neither possessed nor was worthy of. </p><p>Nebula nodded at his words regardless. "Yes. Everyone has been working hard to track him down, and we should be able to finish the fighting soon. Once he's been found, we're going to be able to call this good and move on with our lives," she told him. She was desperate to be able to move as far away from her memories of the war as possible, but that couldn't happen until after Surion was caught. Not for the first time in the past few months, Nebula wished that someone would simply stab Surion in the chest and get it over with. </p><p>"That's good," Fromir commented, but Nebula could tell that there was more to it than simply being good. Fromir seemed distracted, and though she could already tell why he was so upset, she didn't know how to make him admit it. </p><p>Fromir's youth during the War of Starlight had been a curse. Even before the fighting began, he had been forced to grow up far too fast, and it was too much for him to bear. He was anxious and unfocused because he was scared of the world around him. He shouldn't have been forced to live in such a way, but there wasn't anything they could do to change it years later. </p><p>The Thanatos War had hit him harder than Nebula originally expected. Fromir had always hated talking about his days as a soldier in the War of Starlight, so Nebula eventually gave up and just stopped asking. The Thanatos War must have felt like a painful repeat of that to him, so it was only natural that he hated the idea of going through the motions for a third time in his short lifespan. </p><p>A sudden knock came at the door, and Nebula looked up to see someone entering the room. She recognized the trademark mahogany hair and lopsided grin as belonging to Leviathan, and she nodded as a silent way of greeting him. If Nebula was being honest with herself, she didn't know how to approach him, so she simply chose not to. She watched as Leviathan moved over to where Fromir was sitting behind the desk, wary of the dimmed concern that had risen in Leviathan's eyes. </p><p>"You shouldn't be moving around like this, you know," Leviathan began. "We've been over this many times now. I've lost count at this point, and I like to think that I'm pretty good at counting. When you're tired, you should just stay in your room. The world won't fall apart if you take a step back for yourself every once in a while."</p><p>Fromir nodded. "I know," he murmured, and Nebula was left to wonder how many times Leviathan had given him this exact speech in the past. He focused back in on his sister a moment later before continuing to speak. "I hope that Minerva's been treating you well over at Sacred Heart. She said that she was going to cut back on the workload, and I've been hoping that the teachers will hold her to that."</p><p>"Yeah, she is," Nebula confirmed softly. Minerva had always been a strict teacher, never to the point of coming off as harsh or uncaring, but still stern and unbending in her methods. She and Pepper had been working overtime at Sacred Heart to make sure that none of the students were too stressed out. The situation they found themselves in was brutal, and the last thing Minerva wanted to do was put extra weight on the heads of the students. </p><p>Minerva and Fromir seemed as different as it got at a first glance, but after having spent time with both of them, Nebula could say conclusively that they were far more similar to one another than they ever gave themselves credit for. Minerva was somewhat detached in her care, but she still wanted the best for others the same way that Fromir did. She never allowed herself to be carried away by her own sympathy, but the connection was still there. It was strange to Nebula to think of Minerva and Fromir as being similar, but she knew that it was true no matter how much she tried to run from it. </p><p>"That's good to hear," Leviathan said, a small laugh escaping his lips. The sound was hollow and humorless, but it was still clear that he was trying. Nebula supposed that it made sense given the way that Leviathan and Minerva were connected. They were siblings despite how radically different they were in personality, and Leviathan was likely the only one who could ever get away with poking fun at the stoic and stern Minerva. Altina could have if she tried, but she was just as stone-faced as her partner was, and Nebula didn't even want to imagine Altina stepping so far out of line to poke fun at Minerva. The mere thought was unsettling to her. </p><p>Leviathan didn't waste any time after speaking. He curled one arm around Fromir's shoulders and practically hauled the other man to his feet. Fromir stumbled at first, but he slumped into Leviathan's grasp when he realized that there was no point to fighting back. Nebula felt somewhat nauseous at how clearly this dance of theirs was practiced and worn in the same as instinct. She suddenly felt as if she had missed out on far more of Fromir's life than she ever realized before. They should have been given the chance to spend more time together, and yet, there they were, siblings and strangers at the same time. </p><p>"Come back to my room with us," Fromir told Nebula, and while she wanted to use this as a chance to escape, to run and drown in her own guilt, she knew that he wasn't going to tolerate objection. Fromir was awful at putting his foot down most of the time, but Nebula knew better than to fight back when he had set his mind on something. She simply nodded and followed after Fromir and Leviathan. </p><p>It took a while for Fromir to fully settle into his room after Leviathan dragged him back, and Nebula watched him with a strained sense of embarrassment for what she didn't have. She envied Leviathan in a way that she didn't know how to describe. He had been able to waltz into Fromir's life and establish a connection with him that Nebula hadn't been able to forge over the course of more than seventeen years. She felt that it was stupid to be jealous, but the sensation rose in her chest all the same. </p><p>Nebula felt as if she was intruding upon a private moment between Fromir and Leviathan regardless of if she had been invited. She swallowed dryly, trying to dispel the envy that had made an uncomfortable home inside of her. "Is there anything else you wanted to talk to me about, Fromir?" she questioned, trying to hide how desperate she was to get out of there all of a sudden. She didn't want to feel as if Leviathan was getting between herself and Fromir, but when she felt emotionally vulnerable enough as it was due to the water, it was surprisingly easy to fall victim to sensations of petty jealousy. </p><p>Fromir seemed to snap to attention at Nebula's words, and he nodded. "Yeah," he told her. "I... I guess I just wanted to make sure that you were okay." He didn't elaborate after releasing the simple statement into the air, but Nebula didn't think that he exactly had to keep talking. She knew what he was thinking about. After all, it was the only thing that had been on anybody's mind in ages. </p><p>"I'm fine," Nebula assured him even if she wasn't entirely sure that it was true herself. She didn't want to add to Fromir's woes though, so she allowed herself to slip into an easy mask of elegance as a smile appeared on her face. Sometimes, Nebula even impressed herself with how easily she could deceive others. It wasn't as if she had asked for this ability, but it had proven itself necessary due to the issues that lived above her head due to her association with the Thanatos War and then the battles against Igni. </p><p>Fromir didn't seem to believe Nebula, and she could feel his piercing stare going right through her as she watched him carefully. She bit down on the inside of her lip to give her feelings a physical manifestation, but she still made sure that Fromir couldn't see how upset she was deep down. The last thing she wanted to do was bother Fromir with her issues when he had undoubtedly dealt with far worse. </p><p>Nebula knew how much the War of Starlight impacted Fromir years later. Anyone who looked carefully enough at him could see the lingering harm that had been done by the war Ragnor had waged so many years ago. Fromir had been her age when the War of Starlight began, and he wasn't lucky enough for the conflict to be over in a short period of time the way that the Thanatos War had ended. The war had dragged itself on for many months solely because it had entertained the Keeper of Starlight at the time, and he seemed to enjoy the suffering of others. Ragnor had perceived their struggles to be nothing short of hilarious, and Fromir still felt the harm of it even years after Ragnor's death on the battlefield. Ragnor had been careless in his wishes of harm to others, and Fromir had paid the heavy price that came with trauma.  </p><p>Fromir continued to watch Nebula as she offered her false response, and his eyes narrowed in her direction. She was almost positive that he was going to find a way to see right through her because of the overactive sense of empathy that she had come to know him as possessing. Her heart skipped a beat out of anxiety, but she did her best to quell her fears to keep from letting Fromir and Leviathan know that she was struggling so much. She wanted to draw a line in the sand that would keep them from getting too close. Nebula should have opened up to Fromir, but that was far easier said than done, and she preferred to keep him at arm's length. It was too much to ask her to explain to him why she was hurting and why she was sure that he wouldn't be able to help her out of it. </p><p>"You don't need to lie to me, you know," Fromir eventually murmured, drawing his gaze away from Nebula. "I get it. I get it a lot more than you realize, and... I don't want you to feel hurt because of this. Well, it's not like we can change the way that we feel, and you can't exactly run away from your feelings either, but... Oh, you know what I'm trying to tell you, Nebula. Please, just consider talking to me or someone else."</p><p>Nebula watched him for a long minute while she forced herself to come up with a suitable response. "I've got a lot of people who support me," she said, forcing herself to omit the part about how she wished her brother was part of the list. Nebula knew that she could count on her friends from Sacred Heart and Alitia, but she still longed for Fromir to join her frequent company. </p><p>Fromir glanced up to her, and worry clouded his gaze as he formulated a reply. "I want to be in your life more," he finally managed to tell her, and she couldn't stop the overwhelming wave of relief that practically slammed into her chest from the inside out. She liked the idea that he felt the same way that she did far more than she would ever care to admit, and it brought a small smile to her face. </p><p>"You seem like a sweet girl," Leviathan cut in, his grin just as crooked and lopsided as always. "Fromi here really cares about you. I think that you should know that. He's not the best at expressing his affection since he gets all flustered and backs out at the last second, but... You should still hear about how nice he is when he talks about you to me. He's been trying to bridge the distance between you two for quite some time now, and I'm glad that he's opening up about it at long last."</p><p>Nebula would have been lying if she said that Leviathan's words didn't catch her by surprise. She glanced over to Fromir as if she was trying to make sure that Leviathan was being honest. Somehow, she knew that he was being truthful regardless, and she found a small smile appearing on her face despite herself. "I want to try and get to know you too," she told him. "After the war on Igni ends, we should spend more time together. I think that it would help us both out a lot."</p><p>Fromir's face practically lit up with excitement, and Nebula couldn't help but liken him to a bright-eyed puppy. Still, she rather enjoyed how happy he was at the proposal, and she found herself grinning in response. She didn't think that her connection with Fromir would be formed immediately, but this was a first step, and she thought that it was an important one to take. The effort was being made to resolve years of distance, and she was satisfied with that for the time being. </p><p>Leviathan wrapped one arm around Fromir's shoulders before doing the same with Nebula. He pulled the siblings in close, a bright smile on his face. "Look at you two! I'm so proud of you for talking out your feelings!" he chirped. If it had been coming from anyone else, Nebula would have rolled her eyes to try and hide her embarrassment, but with Leviathan, it felt so shamelessly sincere that she didn't bother. Fromir's expression told her that Leviathan was simply like this, and being embarrassed around him simply came with the territory. </p><p>Nebula wasn't sure of how she was meant to reply to Leviathan's comment, so she was quiet for an agonizingly long time. Fromir was in much the same condition, but he managed to say something first. "I'm going to try and be a bit nicer to your father," he told her slowly, as if he had to force each syllable free of his lips. </p><p>It couldn't have been easy for him to say. Nebula knew fully well that Karver and Fromir didn't exactly get along. Fromir had always held distaste for Karver because he was so quick to swoop in and take the place of his birth father. It wasn't as if Fromir was particularly attached to his father; the timing simply bothered Fromir and drove a wedge between himself and his mother, and that had been a problem for him at the time. Many years had passed since Nebula and Fromir's mother passed away, but the lingering animosity was never quite banished on Fromir's end, and Karver simply watched with a frown and a shake of his head, understanding that he wouldn't be able to change Fromir's mind. </p><p>The effort was something that Nebula greatly appreciated though, and she was more than happy to hear that Fromir was willing to try. She somehow doubted that her brother was going to let go of his grudge for Karver so quickly, but his attempts were still something, and she knew that they had to start somewhere. The mere thought brought a smile to Nebula's face, and she nodded. "Yeah... Thanks," she murmured. She found herself leaning closer to Fromir and Leviathan against her mind's suggestions, but she couldn't even bring herself to care. </p><p>Leviathan retreated a few moments later, and Nebula glanced up at him to see that he was still grinning wildly. "Look at you two. I'm glad that you were able to talk everything out. Communication sure is important, eh?" he questioned before his expression slipped into something somber. "Siblings are important, and... I wouldn't want you two to grow apart more than you already have because you're afraid of what it could bring you." There was something about Leviathan's words that struck Nebula as soberly honest, and she couldn't help but wonder what could have caused him to say something so sincere. Still, it wasn't her place to know, so she kept herself from asking. </p><p>"Thank you for coming to see me," Fromir told Nebula. He let out a yawn, and he covered up his mouth with one hand as a blush rose in his cheeks. "You should probably be getting back to Sacred Heart now, huh? I want you to stay for a while longer, but I know that curfew is coming up."</p><p>Nebula opened her mouth to ask how Fromir could have found such information out when he was in such a drowsy state, but she was cut off when Leviathan turned his phone to face her. Nebula hissed when she realized how late it was, and she practically jumped towards the door. "You're right," she murmured. She approached the entrance to the room and pressed her hand against the wood before turning her head over her shoulder. "We should do this again sometime when you're feeling better."</p><p>Fromir's face lit up at her words before he nodded. His exhaustion was still clear, but he seemed to be doing far better all of a sudden, and Nebula was sure that she was responsible. "Yeah," he agreed breathlessly. "We should."</p><p>Nebula curled her fingers around the door knob before pushing her way out of the room. She couldn't help the smile on her face, and she felt tears rising in her eyes. She rubbed at them with the back of her hand before shaking her head. She couldn't be getting emotional this way in public. Still, Nebula found herself far happier than she had any right to be at the thought that Fromir was willing to go so far out of his way to get to know her. Nebula was no stranger to loneliness, and she couldn't help but feel that perhaps the weight of the world would feel a bit less suffocating with him at her side. </p><p>Nebula was barely aware of her surroundings as she made her way back to Sacred Heart by walking through Millennium City. She barely managed to slide through the gates before Minerva got the school ready for the nighttime routine, and Nebula wondered vaguely when it had gotten so dark. She shook the thought away as she made her way back to her room. </p><p>While walking to her dorm, Nebula saw the figure of her father moving through the hallways. She glanced up to see Karver approaching her, and his eyes were clouded with worry. Nebula cringed at the internal reminder that she had forgotten to tell him that she was going out for a while, but she forced her concerns aside to nod her head in his direction, hoping that he would simply let her slip by so that she could go and talk to Anneliese. </p><p>Unfortunately for Nebula, Karver didn't deliver such mercies. "Where were you?" he questioned. His eyes were as concerned as they were curious. </p><p>Nebula's immediate instinct was to lie to him, so she did. She didn't want to explain that she had changed her perspective of Fromir while out, and she certainly didn't want to have to elaborate on how she had gone out of her way to visit her brother at Sierra. "Alitia," she said simply. </p><p>Something in Karver's eyes told Nebula that he knew that she was lying, but he still didn't push the issue. "Okay," he murmured instead before walking past her. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders for a sideways imitation of a hug. "Enjoy the rest of your night, sweetie."</p><p>Nebula nodded distantly as Karver walked away. She continued making her way back to her dorm, and she pushed the door open carefully. The rest of her and Anneliese's roommates were already gathered inside, and they were watching a movie. Nebula received a brief glare to show that she had interrupted them, but Nebula fired back with a frown of her own before retreating into the specific space that she shared with Anneliese. </p><p>The other girl was sitting on her bed and running a brush through her green hair. She was settling in for bed early that night, it seemed. "I was wondering where you got off to, Neb," she admitted. Anneliese set down the brush before rising to her feet. "You sure look chipper."</p><p>Nebula nodded slowly. "Yeah... I guess I am," she confessed softly. She couldn't help but flush lightly at Anneliese's use of the affectionate nickname that had been bestowed upon Nebula when they first became roommates. Anneliese truly was too kind for her own good. </p><p>Anneliese examined Nebula's smile, and a grin appeared on her face a moment later. "Want to give me the details?" she questioned mischievously. She nudged gently at Nebula's side as she winked playfully. </p><p>Nebula couldn't help but laugh at Anneliese's poorly-concealed enthusiasm, and she shook her head slowly, used to Anneliese's antics but finding them entertaining regardless. Still, that didn't mean that she objected to the suggestion, and she sat down on her bed, a silent cue for Anneliese to follow suit. "Yeah... I think I do."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I would do anything for Nebula oh my god</p><p>-Digital</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0040"><h2>40. XL: Blood of the Three</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Altina and December are called to an important audience on Igni.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tanith wasn't quite sure when her regular anxiety had kicked it up a notch, but she felt absolutely terrible as she shuffled her way through Millennium City. There was this new tension in the air that kept her from fully relaxing, but she couldn't tell if it was something everyone felt or if it was just there for her. She took in a slow, careful breath as she tried to find someplace that she could calm her mind. The wind was barely blowing and yet, it was far too loud for her. Even though her magic was based around air, there was only so much Tanith could take, and her thoughts were loud enough with the unasked help of the war weighing down her conscience heavily. </p><p>What she really needed was something new. Tanith longed to feel something between her fingers. She had accidentally left her current fidget toy back in her room, and she couldn't be asked to go back and grab it only to leave Alitia immediately afterwards. Her hands felt oddly empty, and she couldn't help but feel as if there was nothing she could do to calm the raging of her head. She needed something to hold, but she simply couldn't find anything on hand. </p><p>A bookstore came into view, and Tanith glanced up at the entrance before letting out a small sigh. She frequented this store when she was looking for a new story to read or something to take her mind off the monotony of everyday life, and she knew that she could use that given how chaotic everything felt inside. If she could just find a book to look at for a while, she would feel much better about how everything was going in the outside world. </p><p>Tanith pushed the door open, and the bell above her jingled gently. She glanced up at it, trying to keep from openly cringing at the sound. It normally wouldn't have made her so jumpy, but all of the business between Igni and Millennia was leaving a heavy weight inside that she could never run from no matter how hard she tried. In a way, she felt as if her nerves were constantly vibrating beneath the surface of her skin, trying desperately to claw their way to freedom. </p><p>The man behind the desk glanced up at Tanith, and she waved gently in his direction, but she didn't make herself say anything. His name was Duncan, she believed. Even though she had been coming to the bookstore for ages, she never really wound up on friendly terms with him, instead choosing to keep her distance. There was never a motivation for her to close the gap between them, so she simply chose not to. </p><p>Tanith slid her way into the fiction section of the store, and she let out another slow, measured breath. If she could just ground herself physically, everything would be fine, but she was going to need something to calm her in the meantime. She reached out for a nearby book and pulled it free of its confines on the shelf. She flicked through its pages before finding the summary on the final page. Her eyes fell to half-mast, and she allowed herself to focus in on the words. </p><p>Tanith finished reading the summary and realized that she hadn't retained any of it, prompting her to cringe and shake her head. What was wrong with her? She needed to relax, and this was the best way for her to do it. </p><p>
  <em>Read the book. Please, just read the book.</em>
</p><p>Tanith braced herself once again before she focused on reading the summary once again. This time, she was able to pick up on the fact that the story was a murder mystery, and it was the third in an ongoing series. Tanith had heard of them but never read them, and yet, she found herself reaching for the first one in the series. She flicked to the blurb a second time, and she found the world around her evening. The buzzing in the back of her head calmed itself, and a light smile of peace appeared on her features. </p><p>Tanith found that the book was satisfactory to her, and she tucked it under her arm before reaching towards the sequel. Given how anxious she was, Tanith was positive that she was going to blow through the sixty or so chapters of the book in the blink of an eye, so she reached out for the second book in the series, taking care not to spoil herself with any details of the book's events before grabbing the third book that she had grabbed in the first place. </p><p>Tanith's steps were stilted and forced as she made her way towards the desk of the bookstore. She could see Duncan sitting behind the wood, and he gave her a pleasant smile as she set down her items. There was still something odd about him, but Tanith couldn't quite put her finger on it. </p><p>
  <em>He was watching you. </em>
</p><p>Tanith was only halfway aware of the four words that rang in the back of her mind, and she wondered how the voice had been sure that Duncan was paying such attention to her. She glanced up to him and tilted her head lightly to the side, waiting for him to show other signs that he found her fascinating. </p><p>Unfortunately for Tanith, Duncan never did anything, and he instead simply took to scanning the books and getting to work on ringing them up. Tanith dug into her purse and pulled out her wallet, and she found the proper amount of money before dropping it carefully and methodically against the wooden desk. Duncan accepted it before taking care of her change, and he dropped the remaining paper bills into her waiting palms before dropping the three books into a bag. Tanith murmured her thanks before she reached out and accepted it, and she gave Duncan a strained smile before taking a step back towards the door. </p><p>
  <em>Something is wrong with him. </em>
</p><p>Tanith gave Duncan one final glance through the window, using its reflective nature to her advantage. He was watching her carefully, and Tanith was trying to tell herself that this was natural given how empty the bookstore was. Tanith was the only one there since she had stumbled in during the slower hours of the business. Still, there was something inquisitive about him that bothered her, and she couldn't help but wonder if the voice in the back of her mind was right about him watching her. </p><p>Still, she didn't want to think about that. Tanith forced herself to keep moving, and she navigated her way back to Alitia as she followed the mindless steps that she had grown so used to over the years. Soon enough, the campus came into view, and Tanith began setting a course for her room. She began to play with the handle of the bag simply because it gave her hands something to do. </p><p>As Tanith settled into her room, she reached for the first book in the series. She took in another deep, deliberate breath and did all that she could to force all thoughts of Duncan as far from her mind as possible. He didn't matter anymore. She had to focus on something, and reading was perfect in her opinion. The voice in the back of her mind wouldn't be able to upset her with frightening observations if she was busy. </p><p>
  <em>Something is wrong, and I'm still worried.</em>
</p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Sophia was doing everything that she could in order to get better at healing magic. </p><p>She had been born with a natural affinity for it, but she still wanted to get better. One might have even argued that she was desperate for improvement, and Sophia certainly wouldn't have objected to that in the slightest. She wanted to be useful <em>somehow</em>, and healing was the only way that she could actually show that she was worth keeping around to the rest of the world. </p><p>Sophia had been forced to stay behind during the Thanatos War because of her healing magic. Her feelings towards her blessing were complex, to say the least. On one hand, it had helped her to escape a life that she knew was not meant for her. On the other hand, it was exhausting to constantly feel useless because all she could do was heal. Her attacking power was nothing when compared to the strength of her healing abilities. Everyone else was a better fighter, and Sophia felt as if she was deadweight by comparison. </p><p>She concentrated on allowing the plant in front of her to perk up. Sophia had grown used to isolating her healing and nature magic over time, and she knew how to heal plants without injecting any of her natural power into the spell. In a way, healing plants was similar to helping people and animals recover, and it aided in easing Sophia's fears that she was worthless when placed beside her peers. </p><p>Sophia felt her phone buzz in her pocket, and she finished her healing spell on the plant before her. Once she was sure that she was done, she reached into her pocket and pulled out the device. She saw the name of the person who was calling her a moment later, and Sophia sighed before returning her phone to its regular place. </p><p>Colin was frustrating to put up with, to say the least. There was only so much that Sophia could stand of him in a short period of time, and given how awful she already felt about the rest of her life, she knew that engaging in conversation with him would only make her feel worse. It was a risk that she simply wasn't in the mood to take. Colin always had a way of degenerating even the best of her moods into something empty and hollow. </p><p>Sophia hadn't interacted with him since he was sent after her by the Possession Master. Iago had realized what her weakness was, and he traveled to Fortunia to send him after her simply because he enjoyed causing those issues. Sophia was still uncertain of the details regarding the late Iago's plans involving Colin, but she supposed that it didn't matter. The point was that Colin had showed up, and she had felt ruined simply because he wound up existing in her presence. </p><p>Her fiance was not someone that she wanted to deal with. In fact, Sophia even hated thinking of him as that. It was a luxury that he simply wasn't deserving of, and Sophia couldn't help but long for better. She was sure of what fate existed for her after she graduated from Alitia, but she still hated it. </p><p>If all went according to plan, she would never return to Fortunia. She was hoping that some other opportunity would appear for her to take advantage of to make sure that she didn't have to go back to her planet of origin. It was too much for her to think about. If Sophia returned to Fortunia, it was the end for her sense of stability and freedom. Alitia was all that she had, and Colin's phone calls were an unfortunate reminder of just how temporary her salvation from her planet of origin was. </p><p>Sophia turned to the next plant in the row before expelling her regenerative energy towards the drooping leaves. She closed her eyes and let out a sigh that made her seem as if she was in a trance. Soon afterwards, the plant returned to its full colors of lush green, and its leaves perked up towards the sky thanks to her influence. </p><p>Sophia watched the plant for a moment before her hand came up to cradle at the upper half of her face. She wanted to do more than this. She liked being able to heal people since it gave her the chance to help out without needing to inflict harm upon others. Sophia disliked the idea of hurting other people, and yet, without the ability to easily engage in combat, she felt very insufficient. Why couldn't she do more? Why was she so damn weak? </p><p>Sophia loved her friends, but she still didn't understand why they spent time with her. It felt like a matter of convenience that they had wound up so close, and Sophia was positive that she would have wound up alone if she hadn't been placed in their dorm room. They were all so much stronger than she was, and Sophia knew that she was pathetic in comparison. She wished that she was more powerful, but there was no way that her pleas would be answered. </p><p>She slowly pushed herself to her feet, and she glanced out over all of the plants in the garden out to the back of Alitia. She had cycled through the many plants as a way of easing her distress, and Sophia didn't think that there were any remaining objects of greenery for her to give her attention to. How long had she been out there? </p><p>Sophia forced herself back to her room, and she sat down on her bed. Tanith was in the space as well, flipping through the pages of a book that gave off the smell of being new even from a distance. Tanith didn't look up even as Sophia entered the room. In fact, she barely seemed to notice that anything had changed. Her eyes were glassy as she looked at the page in front of her, and Sophia couldn't help but wonder what had pushed Tanith to look so detached. </p><p>Sophia turned to the small plant that she kept next to her bed, and she began to feed green energy into its leaves. The plant grew larger as she accelerated its expansion process. Sophia allowed the glow of her emerald magic to spread across her expression, illuminating every haunted feature and shadowed corner of her face. </p><p>Sophia continued to stare at the plant for quite some time after she had finished casting her magic, almost as if she thought that it would answer all of her questions regarding her own perceived weakness. She was still desperate to do more, but since she wasn't strong, all she could do was continue healing. Sophia wanted to be useful, but she wasn't sure of where she would even be able to start. </p><p>Sophia gave one final glance over in Tanith's direction before she set the plant back down. Tanith still hadn't noticed that she was back, though Sophia assumed that it was because of how perpetually exhausted Tanith had become in the past few months. The impending threat of conflict was hitting them all hard, and Sophia couldn't help but wonder if any of the others felt the same way that she did. </p><p>After all, there were worlds at war, and Sophia wanted to do more, but there were no answers as to what would even help those who needed it. She expected herself to be able to change the world, but she didn't even know where to start. </p><p>She was weak and helpless, and that was all she ever would be. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Altina and December had been shifting back and forth between Igni and Acadia whenever they could find the time to swap planets. December was desperate to help with the resistance on Igni, but Briyana seemed to want Altina's input alongside December's more often than not, so they came to move from place to place as a duo. The students of Acadia were desperate for Altina's presence since it acted as a calming aura for all those who were under her influence. December enjoyed going back and forth with her as well since it gave her a place to let out a sigh of relief without risking upsetting anyone on Igni. </p><p>To put it simply, their frequent travels were complicated, and it was almost dizzying how much Altina and December teleported back and forth between the planets. There was never a moment to think. Motion was encouraged above all else, and staying in place for too long simply was not an option. There were too many people counting on them to hold everything together, and they couldn't fall apart so soon when there was still a lot yet to be done. </p><p>Altina stepped towards the portal that she and December had created to start their next movement towards Igni. It was a nauseating cycle that they found themselves in, but there wasn't anything that Altina could do to stop it. She had to make sure that all of her students were taken care of, but the resistance required her attention as well. Altina couldn't wait for all of this to be over, for Surion to finally just kick the bucket already, so that she could go back to the life that she had come to know as normal. She was positive that December felt the same way. </p><p>In a strange way, the only moment of peace that Altina and December got was the brief sensation of breathlessness that came with teleportation. As their location shifted, there was a moment where nothing seemed to matter aside from their motion between the planets, and they were at peace. Altina had come to enjoy it far more than she should have, and she usually allowed her eyes to slip shut for a brief respite from the constant action of her everyday life. She could tell that December treated the brief window of time much the same way before she jumped back towards everything else that she needed to do as well. </p><p>However, the peace that came with shifting between planets never seemed to truly belong fully to Altina or December. There was always an intrusive concept that snuck into the back of Altina's mind, and she couldn't escape it no matter how hard she tried. It was as if some higher power was whispering the name into her ear whenever she and December passed through a portal. </p><p>
  <em>Salem.</em>
</p><p>Altina had been thinking loosely of her brother ever since December first appeared. The sisters had been aware for years that their parents were gone, but Salem was a different story. For all they knew, he was still out there somewhere by a stroke of a miracle. Altina wanted to believe, but she didn't even know where to begin in the process of looking for him. </p><p>Altina's thoughts while teleporting were always occupied by Salem because there was no other time for her to think of him. The rest of her life had devolved to such chaos that she could hardly spare a moment to send a message of care to Minerva each night before she went to sleep. It felt as if the war itself was breathing down her neck with a twisted smile on its face. Salem came to mind when she had but a few fleeting seconds of peace because the war kept him from appearing in her mind at any other point. </p><p>This time, when Altina and December traveled through the gate between worlds, everything rotated around them, and Altina's mind was filled with curiosities about Salem. Where could he be? What had happened to him? Was he even still alive? Would she ever find the answers that she was looking for?</p><p>The sensation of floating came to an abrupt halt when Altina's feet touched the ground of the Ignite palace once again. It had become the resistance's new hideout ever since the rebellion had managed to lay siege to it in their first proper battle. It was far more comfortable than the underground tunnel that the resistance had commandeered quite some time ago, and Altina had to admit that she rather enjoyed seeing the sunshine stream in through the nearby windows as they stretched towards the sky. It was comforting in a way that she didn't know how to describe, and she let out a small sigh. </p><p>Altina gave a brief glance over to December, and she saw that a small cluster of soldiers from the resistance had come to stand around them. This was part of their routine in a strange way. Depending on how desperately they were needed by Briyana, the number of fighters who swarmed them would go up and down. </p><p>Something about the encounter felt different this time, and Altina had to admit that there was an uncomfortable sensation buzzing in the air. She tried to figure out what she found to be so strange about the arrival of the other fighters when this should have been part of her regular routine by that point. The expressions on their faces made it clear that something was wrong, but Altina couldn't tell what it was in particular. </p><p>"What's wrong?" December suddenly questioned, going into overdrive damage control mode immediately. Her eyes flickered threateningly across the area as she tried to pick up on any points of interest. All she seemed to notice was the poorly-hidden fascination on the faces of the people around her. </p><p>"I want to have an audience with you two personally."</p><p>Briyana's voice was enough to snap through the chaos, and Altina glanced up to see that Briyana and Eros were walking into the area casually. Eros' expression told her that he was uncertain with recent developments, but he was putting on a bold face regardless. Briyana, on the other hand, looked warm and inviting in a way that she hadn't appeared in a long time. It was hard to believe that this Briyana, a kind hostess with a radiant smile, was the same as the version of herself that stepped onto the battlefield and led an army to victory after years of oppression. The difference was almost concerning. </p><p>Altina wasn't sure of how to handle Briyana's blatant jubilation, so she gave December a sideways glance as the soldiers around them began to shuffle out of the way. Whatever Briyana wanted to talk to them about had to be serious, and they were more than willing to hear her out. She knew the affairs of Igni better than anyone, and if there was something that they had to be aware of for the sake of the war, she would be sure to tell them immediately. </p><p>Still, there was something off about her that day, and Briyana kept her smile close to her lips as she walked through the palace. She was overjoyed about something that she wasn't ready to elaborate on yet. Altina didn't understand how Briyana's sudden happiness would have given her a reason to interact directly with the two sisters though, and she remained on edge all the way to the meeting room. </p><p>That was when she saw him. </p><p>His hair was the same dark color that Altina had always remembered it being, and even if he was far older than she recalled, he still appeared young for his age. His features were rounded and gentle, and his eyes were sharp in a way that told of his curiosity regarding the world around him. An easy smile was on his face, and relief settled into his gaze as soon as he caught sight of Altina and December. </p><p>"It's nice to see you two again," he said calmly, clearly trying to seem far more composed than he actually was. </p><p>Salem. </p><p>
  <em>Salem. </em>
</p><p>At first, Altina thought that this was some sort of twisted prank. She gave a brief glance over to Briyana and Eros just to make sure that this was real. Sure enough, Briyana gave her a wink, and Altina understood the truth resting just before her eyes. Somehow, Salem was back. She didn't have any ideas as to how such could have been possible, but did she really need an explanation? Did words even matter anymore? All that she cared about was that she, December, and Salem were in the same place again. After more than twenty-five years spent apart thanks to the influence of an unexpected tragedy, Altina and her siblings were reunited in the same place. </p><p>Altina walked towards Salem before practically throwing her arms around his body. Salem remained in place at first before his smile renewed itself across his features. "It's been too long, Alti," he murmured. His arms curled around Altina's torso in response, and she felt his head press against her shoulder. He was shorter than she was, and it truly did emphasize their dynamic from years long gone by. At the end of the day, Salem was Altina's baby brother even if they were the same age. After years of believing that he was gone, Altina had found him once again. </p><p>Altina could feel December's arms wrap around her body from behind, and she realized that she was pressed between her older sister and younger brother. She had been away from her family for so many years, and it didn't even feel real seeing them once again. She had come to terms with her surprise regarding December quite some time ago, and yet, it all came flooding back as soon as she saw Salem again. </p><p>"How is this real?" Altina heard December whisper into her ear. "I was so sure that this would never happen again, and yet... We're here. How are you here? I don't understand how you could have found us."</p><p>Salem let out a small laugh, but Altina could hear the way that he was doing his best to keep from crying. "I suppose you could say that I got lucky," Salem replied with a light shrug. He looked up to his sisters with another grin, and it looked just the same as his smiles always had. He was older after all their years away from each other, but he was the same deep down, and it was an odd comfort that she had never expected to enjoy so much. </p><p>"He appeared a few hours ago, and I figured that you two would want to see him. I could tell from the instant that I saw him that he was related to you two somehow. The hair color that you share is incredibly distinctive," Briyana explained from nearby. "The black, purple, and blue color scheme isn't all that common around here, and him being a leath was simply the final piece of evidence I needed to be sure of your connection."</p><p>"I still don't understand how you got here... You've been gone for so long. You must have been pretty isolated to not know anything about what we've both been up to," Altina commented. The embrace she was sharing with Salem and December began to break apart, and the trio of siblings addressed one another with their eyes even as they divided. </p><p>Salem let out a small laugh and shook his head. "I guess you could say that I was isolated... The story is a long one, but I would be more than happy to tell you if you're interested. Then again, I suppose that you sort of have to hear about it if you want to know what I've been up to..." Salem remarked, glancing down at the ground. He cut off his words with a relaxed laugh, and Altina had to admit that she had missed the lovely melody of his giggling. He had always had a way of bringing out the best in both Altina and December, and she could already feel the pull of his positivity even just after they had reunited. </p><p>"We would love to hear about it," December told him confidently. "For now, we should settle down and find a place to talk. I know that I'm certainly curious about what could have happened to you... How did you even get to Igni?"</p><p>"I'll explain everything soon enough. For now, I want to sincerely thank Briyana from the bottom of my heart. I don't even want to imagine how much longer it would have taken us all to reunite once again if not for her influence. Her resistance attracted my attention in the first place, after all," Salem said, turning his gaze over to the nearby resistance leader. He bowed his head in her direction, and he glanced back over to his siblings a moment later. "I'm beyond grateful for her presence here."</p><p>"I just did what I had to in order to make sure you all got back together," Briyana replied with a gentle shrug and a smile. "I'll leave you three to your discussion for the time being. I'm going to continue coming up with plans for our next attack to try and find the king. Salem has offered a few strategic ideas, and I'm going to consider them with the other tacticians that we have here. I trust you three to not get into trouble. You simply don't seem like the type to do that sort of thing. Anyways, we should get going. Let's go, Eros."</p><p>Briyana and Eros both walked away from the room, leaving Altina, December, and Salem together in the quiet. Altina found another smile working its way across her face, and she could see easily that the same applied to December and Salem as well. She still couldn't help but feel as if she was dreaming somehow. She had hoped for this moment for so many years, but since she was finally experiencing it, Altina didn't know how to respond. She had been distant from her emotions since the day she lost December and Salem so long ago, and it was harder than she expected to return to her passionate ways so suddenly. </p><p>She shook off her nerves soon afterwards though, and she glanced back to Salem with curious eyes. Her younger brother saw that she was inquiring for answers, and he nodded to himself. "Alright. If we're all ready, then I'd be happy to tell you about what I've been up to. I'd like to hear about your stories afterwards, but for the time being, I suppose that I have priority," he said. He took in a deep, centering breath before another smile appeared on his face. "Without further ado, let's get started."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I hate online classes high key</p><p>-Digital</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0041"><h2>41. XLI: Strategic Survivor</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Salem explains his whereabouts in the past twenty-five years as Surion is uncovered once more.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>December noticed many things about Salem even years after having last seen him. </p><p>For one, he still wore his hair in the same ponytail that he had enjoyed so much for years before the attack on their estate had taken place. He was just as wiry as before, though he had grown taller in the years since dividing from his sisters. Salem was older, yes, but he was still very much so the same person that she had grown close with when they were children. It was a relief for him to be so similar to his previous incarnation, and December greatly appreciated how normal he was despite their years spent apart. He had changed, but at the same time, he was so strikingly similar to how he had been years before, and December loved it. </p><p>Salem cleared his throat the same way that he always had, and his eyes were filled with something solemn that December decided immediately that she wasn't particularly fond of. "After the attack took place on Ranalite, a portal opened before me. Since I didn't have anywhere else to run, I decided to jump through it. I had no way of knowing for sure where I would end up, but in the end, I exited the portal on Aerania," he explained. </p><p>That was more than enough to earn an eye roll in response from December. She had heard many things about Aerania, and none of them were good. The king lived in luxury while forcing all of his people to suffer under the weight of poverty. He turned up his nose towards his subjects and shook his head in distaste when they dared to ask for respect. A majority of the population of Aerania consisted of leaths much like on Igni, but instead of being treated with blatant disrespect the way Ignite people were, they were simply ignored. The king treated poor mages with the same sense of superiority, and his people starved while cursing his name. It was every person for themselves, a constant battle for survival with no guarantee that anyone would pull through the following day. </p><p>"What happened next?" Altina questioned, her words careful and slow. She had been thinking something similar to December it seemed, unwilling to voice her full concerns but certainly curious about the atrocities that her younger brother had potentially endured. It was odd to see Altina so unsure of herself, and December decided that she would have been fine to never witness something of that nature again. </p><p>Salem let out a small laugh, and December felt her stomach twist. "I wound up near the palace, as a matter of fact," he commented softly. "That was where I met the king. I suppose that he saw something in me, because he took me in to be a researcher within his employ. He claimed that I was his adopted son of sorts, though I wouldn't say that he exactly say that he treated me in such a way. It was never in his nature, I suppose."</p><p>That had been the last explanation December was expecting. Her eyes went wide, and she glanced over to Altina to make sure that she had heard his words correctly. Altina was just as shocked as December was. Neither one of the sisters could bring themselves to say anything, too afraid of what information Salem would offer to explain the actions of the past. </p><p>"Why were you with him?" December eventually managed to question. Every syllable had to be formed deliberately, and her throat felt as if it was filled with cotton. She absolutely hated thinking that Salem of all people--sweet, scholarly, sensitive Salem--had been forced to live on Aerania. Even if he was surviving in the lap of luxury, December understood that Aerania was far from being a nice environment to grow in. She had survived on Igni due to pure determination, but Salem was nowhere near as strong as she was in raw power. Salem had always been the baby of the family, leaving both Altina and December to constantly yearn to keep him safe from the horrors that the rest of the world presented. </p><p>Salem shook his head and shrugged before laughing once again. "I don't know why he decided that I was interesting enough to take in, but he most certainly did. He wanted me to do research on the various topics involved with the goddess of Aerania, Selene. I'm sure that you've heard of her and all of the controversy surrounding her presence on Aerania, yes?" he questioned. </p><p>December couldn't help but bitterly think that such was an understatement. Selene was beyond simply being 'controversial'; those who found out too much about her were often found and executed in unsavory ways to ensure that they kept quiet. Salem being told to research Selene by the king himself offered a protective shield around him, so at the very least he had been as safe as possible, but it still didn't sit well with her. </p><p>Salem seemed to recognize that both December and Altina knew what he was talking about, so he decided to continue without receiving a proper response. "The king didn't always keep a constant watch on me, so I decided to try and sneak out where I could. He refused to allow me to leave the palace, so I would have to find ways to see the rest of the world on my own. I learned how to gather the supplies needed to create a teleportation spell, and I started leaving and returning at times when I knew that he wouldn't notice," he continued to explain. </p><p>"That was beyond risky of you to do," Altina chastised him, her voice low and careful. "If he had found out that you were sneaking out, he could have hurt you. Your manifestation has nothing to do with combat, and if the whim had so taken him, he could have--"</p><p>"I understand," Salem assured her. "But I don't need to worry about him finding me again. As soon as I learned where you two were, I decided to pack my things and depart. I left a note behind saying that I had to go elsewhere, and then I left. I'm not sure if he knows exactly where I am now, but I believe that it's best that I'm here rather than being on Aerania. After all, I'm here with you again."</p><p>"Where exactly did you sneak out to?" December questioned, a frown on her face. "You kept on going back to Aerania for quite some time, so it's my understanding that you didn't find a place to stay until you were able to get away from him."</p><p>"I mostly found other places to further my research into Selene. I had no plans of leaving until I heard about where you two were, after all, so I decided to be useful and learn more about the subject the king asked of me," Salem explained. "He claimed that my manifestation would be useful to learning more about her, and I believe that he was right in thinking that I would be of use there. It kept me safe, and I'm glad that I was able to pull through it all by continuing to look into Selene."</p><p>Altina let out a heavy sigh and shook her head. "It's relieving to know that you're alright, but you still shouldn't have had to put up with all of that for so long," she muttered. "Please tell me that you won't take any unnecessary risks from here on out. You're not a fighter, and you shouldn't have to engage in combat if you don't have to."</p><p>Salem nodded. "Of course. I'm going to be working from behind the scenes throughout the rest of the battle involving the resistance. I want to reclaim Igni since it's such a passionate subject for us all. Leaths deserve better than the way that they've been treated, and I want to make sure that everything is okay here," he told his sisters. </p><p>"It's nice of you to want to make sure that Igni is safe," December commented, reaching out one hand to take his fingers between her own. "I understand that you must have been through a lot while you were still living on Aerania, and yet, here you are, charging back into danger because you want to make sure that people are happy and safe. It's just like you."</p><p>Salem shrugged. "I suppose that it's just the way I've always been," he remarked, and December had to admit that she had never heard truer words. Salem had always been the kindest out of the three siblings, never wanting to see anyone hurt if he could avoid it. He was a bit of a crybaby from a young age, but it wasn't as if any of them truly minded his behavior. It was kind that he cared so much even about those he didn't know. In fact, December didn't think that Salem possessed a mean bone in his body. He was too empathetic for his own good, but December would have been lying if she said that she didn't see the beauty of it. </p><p>"You had better make sure that you stay out of trouble though," Altina told him, her tone as stern as it was warm. "You've scared us more than enough for one lifetime, and I think that we want to make sure that nothing else happens to you if it can be prevented. Spending so much time on Aerania... It's not good for you or for anybody else. It's not a nice place to be, and you should be fully aware of that by now."</p><p>Salem hesitated before nodding. "I am... I would sneak away from the castle sometimes to see the regular people of Aerania, and if I had the chance, I would offer them all the help that I possibly could. You have no idea how many people there are suffering. In a way, it's in a situation that is rather similar to Igni, but... I suppose that the silence that covers Aerania is rather different in nature," he commented. </p><p>December certainly understood where he was coming from by making such a comparison. On Igni, the issues of silencing a given group surrounded the oppression that leaths faced at the hands of the upper class of mages. On Aerania, everyone, mage or leath, was silenced if they interfered with the king's agenda. Poverty ran rampant, and there were too many issues with illness to be counted. December hadn't ever grown close to a person from Aerania personally, but she had heard indirectly from Altina that Zylphia had originated on the planet. It certainly put her consistent stoicism and detachment into perspective. </p><p>"Still, I can promise that I'm going to be standing by your side until this battle draws to a conclusion," Salem declared, a gentle smile on his face. "I don't want to see anyone here on Igni suffering, and if I can use my manifestation of knowledge to help others, then... That's exactly what I want to do. I want to prevent as much suffering as possible."</p><p>"You're so sweet," Altina murmured with a shake of her head. December could tell that Altina was confused about the same thing that was bothering her. Even after growing up on Aerania, a planet widely regarded as being hostile to all who lived on it, Salem had managed to maintain his kindness and optimism. At one point, all three of the siblings would have looked at the world through a similar lens. Altina had been rather shy in their shared youth while December wound up detaching herself from most emotional expression even before they were divided. Despite the differences, they had been similar in their personalities and outlooks on the world. </p><p>Their years apart had changed them all. December had been forced into a life of constantly being idolized as a fragment of dying hope. People looked up to her without understanding where she had come from or who she truly was. Altina had been pressed into the spotlight of an entire dimension from a young age due to a chance encounter with the Keeper of Starlight. She was seen as a sign of a future that had nearly been stolen from Millennia and Amity alike. Salem had been isolated from the world and taken advantage of for his manifestation whether he chose to acknowledge it that way or not. His hope burned bright despite this, and he maintained a sense of positivity through hardships that not many others would have been able to endure. </p><p>When Salem rose to his feet, he moved behind December and pulled her into a hug from the back. His eyes swept close, and his hair fell over his face in an awkward curtain. He didn't say anything, because in all honesty, there wasn't a reason for him to clarify what he was thinking. All three of the siblings understood precisely what he meant. Words had become useless long ago in favor of simply being around one another. </p><p>December got to her feet as well before turning around and hugging Salem fully. She had ignored most ideas of affectionate displays in the years since the Ranalite fallout. The only exception was Cerise, and it felt strange for her to be so open with her emotions towards someone else. Still, even if she found it odd, she didn't necessarily dislike it. </p><p>Altina joined her brother and sister once again, and she pulled them into a hug as well. Silence covered the three siblings, and it became clear that none of them knew what to say to one another. All that mattered was that they were back together, and since they had reunited, they would never be apart again. Millennia, Igni, and Aerania had finally united to bring them peace and joy. Not even a war and a sneak attack from years prior had been able to keep them apart. </p><p>When December finally did pull away from her brother and sister, she let out a sigh. She already missed the warmth that their bodies brought, and after years of bottling her emotions out of a desperate need to survive to see Altina and Salem once again, she didn't quite know how to be honest with all of her evens and odds again. It still felt strange for her to accept that she was going to be alright. </p><p>"We're going to be okay," Salem announced, his familiar lopsided smile making an appearance once again. He took Altina's hand in his right before grasping December's fingers in his left. He squeezed at their hands gently before letting out a light sigh. His optimism was something that December hadn't even realized that she needed until she saw him once again. </p><p>His words rolled around in December's mind once again, and she smiled to herself. For the first time in years, she could hear his words and understand that he was right without a shadow of a doubt. They were going to be okay. Nothing was going to stop them since they were back together. Everything would be alright as long as they were together. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Salem settled in with the rest of the resistance rather well after just a few days, and everyone came to rather enjoy his deceptively innocent yet weathered smile. Salem spent much of his time curled up in his corner of the palace with countless papers fanned out on the table in front of him, a light smile on his face as he tried to find the most captivating strategy. All those who interrupted him were met with a kind laugh and a gentle wave. </p><p>Briyana had come to rather enjoy his cheer, she had to admit. Unlike Altina and December, who were constantly flipping back and forth between spending time on Millennia and Igni, Salem was there to stay, and he was incredibly nice company to have. His immense intellect was something that Briyana couldn't even begin to comprehend, and she had to admire the way that he was able to pull together battle plans from seemingly nothing. He had certainly been given more than enough experience with planning out battles in the past even if they were only fictional in nature. </p><p>News had traveled quickly from the rebellion's primary fighting force, spreading outwards in the blink of an eye. Cerise heard from Altina and December, and when she happened to run into Nebula while on a trip to Sacred Heart with December, she explained everything. The conversation between the two girls had been tense due to Cerise's constant nervousness and anxiety about the group of mages that she had spent so much time targeting, but Cerise was still able to get the point across. </p><p>Nebula had explained everything soon afterwards to the rest of the group, and Luce found herself going back to the text message far more frequently than she should have. She pressed down on the chat for the fourth time within the past hour, reading about how Salem had returned from the depths of his disappearance. Luce couldn't help but sigh to herself and stare until she forced herself to shove her phone into the drawer of her bedside table to keep from growing too obsessive. </p><p>Luce had heard about many people who returned from the far corners of the universe in the past few months. First had been December, Altina's older sister known for her battle prowess and solemn behavior. After that, Cerise had been revealed to be a princess who disappeared many years ago due to the deceptive actions of Surion. Finally, Salem had risen from the heart of Aerania, revealing that he had been a researcher into a goddess who had long been despised.</p><p>It was in times like these where Luce wondered what happened to the disappeared person who had been the focus of her attention ever since the previous semester. She couldn't help but feel a twist of yearning for Dawn, another missing person who she was positive should have returned after years of being away. Luce felt terrible for even wishing in the first place as others enjoyed the rise of those who had once been lost, but she couldn't stop the longing that breathed along with her in every breath. </p><p>Luce forced herself to her feet, abandoning her phone before walking to the door of her room and entering the main area of the dorm. She had finished her homework for the night, and without something to do, she found herself feeling a bit stir crazy. Homework, as much as Luce despised it, was a distraction, and that was precisely what she needed so that she wouldn't think about everything that had happened on Igni. </p><p>Iris was sitting on the couch out in the primary segment of the dorm, and she was fiddling with her rapier. It was resting in its sheath across her lap, and she stroked one hand across the hidden blade with glassy eyes. Iris didn't seem to realize that Luce was even there, too focused on the way that her sword shifted beneath her grasp. There was something about her that seemed on edge, constantly ready for battle even though there was no danger to be found. It was unfortunately familiar to Luce, and she couldn't help but desperately stare down at something on the floor instead. </p><p>Luce and Iris hadn't seen each other much back during the Thanatos War. Iris had been responsible for working with technology and strategy, putting her technical skills to the test while Luce and the majority of their little group wandered throughout Millennium City and its surroundings. Luce hadn't seen much of the grating need to swing a blade through the air, to feel something to pierce the darkness that the combat brought. However, she could see it perfectly clearly as she stood in the doorway of her room, one hand pressed against the frame as Iris' gaze went glassy and transparent under the weight of her own uncertainty. </p><p>"There's been news."</p><p>Tanith walked in through the front door of the apartment, pulling the door shut behind her. Her eyes were exhausted, and Luce could see smears of darkness across the space between her eyelashes and cheeks. There were signs all around of the war taking its toll, and Luce could feel the pulse of haunted panic even from across the room. </p><p>Iris came out of her trance nearly immediately, and her eyes shot open as she glanced over to Tanith with a nervous gaze. It was only after she realized who was responsible for the sound that she settled down, but Luce still didn't think she would ever be able to forget the glaze of panic that had filled Iris' body so completely. They all silently understood the impact of the war, and even if they didn't speak about it as much as they used to, anyone who looked close enough would be able to taste the tangible pain that seemed to live in the air. </p><p>"What is it?" Iris questioned after she had managed to adjust herself. She was continuing to fiddle with her blade as a light smile appeared on her face. She rose to her feet carefully a moment later, continuing to slide one hand along the edge of her sword. There was no blatant danger, but her posture was defensive and masked regardless. </p><p>"Surion has been tracked down," Tanith explained. "Zylphia told me just a few minutes ago. They found him in an abandoned part of Igni that used to be the capital hundreds of years ago. He's taken up residence inside of the largest building there alongside quite a few mages, and he doesn't seem to have any intentions of backing down. As far as I can tell, he isn't aware that we know where he is, so I suppose that we can use this to our advantage and make sure that we can save Igni permanently this time."</p><p>Luce swallowed dryly. Tanith had danced around the words, but Luce was positive that Igni's salvation could come only in Surion's death. In order to change the world, an upheaval was sometimes needed, and Luce could think of no other situation where such a thought process would be so perfectly applicable. If Igni was ever going to be a place of peace and prosperity, Surion would have to die. She had known it when the conflict first began in full, but being so close to such a reality changed her outlook on it completely. </p><p>"What does that mean for us?" Iris questioned. The answer seemed clear, but she still searched for reassurance that she had made the right conclusion. Iris slipped her sword into its place at her hip, keeping one hand on the hilt as she watched Tanith with a nervous, transparent gaze. </p><p>"We're going to have to pack up and move out for Igni as soon as possible. We don't know if Surion is going to start moving at a random point, so we have to make sure that we catch him before he gets any ideas about causing problems," Tanith explained. "Nobody is happy about it, but I feel like we all expected something like this to happen as soon as we heard about the war starting."</p><p>Luce had to admit that she agreed completely with Tanith's thought process. The idea of going back to Igni was dreadful to her, but it wasn't as if they had much of a choice in the matter. Luce shook her head and ran one hand through her hair. She was going to have to text the rest of their team to make sure that they were ready for this. It meant looking at the message from Nebula about Salem, but Luce didn't have time to be petty anymore. She had lost that extra cushion as soon as Tanith walked in the room. One could argue easily that she hadn't ever possessed such an ability, not since before Briyana declared that she would strike down Igni with her own two hands. </p><p>Luce was slow when she moved back into her room. Slowly but surely, her heart began to pound faster in her chest, proof that she was fully aware of what was to come. Everything was about to slip away from her control, and there was no way for her to escape it. The world had expressed how it felt about her and the desires that she cared for so dearly, and all she could do was grin and bear it until Surion had been kicked into the dirt for a final time. </p><p>As the adrenaline kicked in, Luce typed out a message to the others that she cared for so dearly, and her eyes slipped closed as she powered off the device. She looked over to the corner of her room as soon as she was ready to face the daylight streaming through her window again and saw her sword propped against the wall, and Luce approached it before picking up the blade. She stroked the sheath gently, sitting down on her bed and trying to ignore the looming sensation of dread that was mounting in her chest more and more with each passing second. </p><p>Luce heard a knock at the door, and she glanced up to see Helena walking inside with a worried frown on her face. She didn't say anything at first, instead simply walking to Luce's side and pulling her into a hug, a clear sign of the blatant affection that Helena had always been so fond of. Luce was still as could be for a long moment before she returned the gesture, her arms slowly curling around Helena's torso. </p><p>When the other girl finally pulled away, she was gathering a few essentials into a small bag that she pulled over her shoulder. Helena tucked away a few boxes containing the supplies needed to perform basic spells, and she began to hum to herself. Luce wasn't sure what song had claimed Helena's tongue, but she was positive that the other girl had only taken to making noise to fill the silence. If any of them were given the chance to stop and think about what was taking place, they were bound to lose nerve. That wasn't an option for them anymore. They had come too far to back down, and the end of the war was so close. </p><p>Luce continued to listen to Helena as the other girl's graceful mezzo soprano humming filled her ears. She tapped out the rhythms when they began to repeat, and Luce wondered just how much thought Helena was putting into the sound. She watched as the girl took her hair out of its current ponytail before tying it back up. Helena examined her reflection, making sure that every stray hair had been pulled together. To others, it would have seemed like a show of vanity, but when combat was concerned, there was no such thing as being too cautious. </p><p>Luce had no idea how long she had been waiting in her room, simply listening to the rolling sound of Helena's humming, but when she walked back out into the main area of the dorm, all of her roommates had gathered together. None of them were speaking, instead electing to allow the silence to convey all that they were thinking. Luce didn't even have to ask to understand what was going through all of their minds. The only sound that occupied her mind was Helena's familiar humming, and Luce couldn't tell if the fire mage was even still making noise or if she had internalized the sound to keep from thinking about what was to come. </p><p>Cessair was in the room as well, something that Luce only realized when S.M. tapped on her arm and pointed to the water mage in question. Cessair gave Luce a bright wave, her eyes filled with so much life that it almost hurt to see. Luce wanted to go back to being able to embrace such optimism so openly. She was tired of seeing the world through a lens of constant pragmatism that warranted fear of every small event that could possibly go against her plans. </p><p>"This could be our last expedition to Igni," Sylvia remarked. Her hair had been pulled back into two small buns at the base of her neck, braids wrapped around themselves until they were consolidated enough for her likings. Somehow, it made Sylvia seem so much older than she actually was, and Luce couldn't help but wonder how different the other girl would have been if not for the actions of Iago and Surion within the past year. </p><p>"I'm hoping for that. I never want to go back," Carys said with a dramatic roll of her eyes. The words were framed in an oddly playful light, and Luce was positive that they were Carys' attempt at injecting something resembling positivity into the dark situation that they found themselves in. "I had seen enough of Igni the second that Faerner decided to be an asshole."</p><p>Luce couldn't blame Carys in the slightest for her animosity, and she felt much the same way. She didn't want to have to go back to Igni again until after the war was over. If all went well, they would be able to storm the ruins of the former capital alongside Briyana's forces and kill Surion in a matter of days. A hopeful part of Luce's mind thought that perhaps they would get lucky in the span of a few hours, but she knew not to hold her breath for such hopeful outcomes. </p><p>Tanith was the first to start walking towards the door, and the rest of the group trailed behind her. This was it. They were going to end the war on Igni one way or another, and if all went according to plan, Surion would be dead and buried in a matter of days. </p><p>When the time came, Luce was going to spit on his grave. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>All that's left is the final battle guys holy crap</p><p>-Digital</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0042"><h2>42. XLII: Chasing Flames</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The final attack on Surion begins.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Luce was almost surprised at how easy it all was. </p><p>The full process had been effortless, and that was the last thing Luce had expected. As soon as she and the rest of the group got to Igni, they were sent in the direction of the abandoned city where Surion had taken up residence. He appeared to still be there, so this could have very easily been their final battle before the conflict with Igni was finally finished. Luce couldn't wait for that personally, and she couldn't stop fiddling with her sword as she and the rest of the fighters closed in around the city in a large circle meant to prevent all escape. </p><p>The city was set up to be a defensive stronghold, but it had still been all too easy for the resistance to form a large loop to keep Surion corralled inside along with any other mages that he had decided to bring along with him. Luce could certainly tell that this had once been a capital city, and she assumed that the only reason that the location had shifted was because of how old everything looked. Chances were high that the city had simply deteriorated too far for anyone to wish to stay there any longer. The outside wall of the city was still standing tall and proud, but Luce could already see the edges of buildings that were crumbling in between the cracks. </p><p>The impending attack on the former capital should have been enough to draw Surion out of hiding. He was a prideful man though, and Luce couldn't help but roll her eyes at the idea of him continuing to fight back until the bitter end. It was clear that he was willing to kick and scream until his very last breath, but that didn't mean that Luce wanted to suffer through it with him. Surion was aggravating her, and she wished that he would make it easier on all of them by simply walking out of the collapsed city with his hands raised in surrender. </p><p>A long time passed where nothing took place. All Luce did was stare up at the city's walls, wishing that there was something more she could do than simply wait for Surion to stop being a coward. She was staring to doubt that he was going to do anything, and that meant that they would simply have to storm through the gates of the city with magic and weapons at the ready. </p><p>Briyana seemed to understand this as well, and she gestured towards the city's remnants out of Luce's peripheral vision. That was a universal signal that the time for battle had come. Luce gripped at her sword a bit tighter, feeling the adrenaline start to course through every part of her being. She hadn't wanted this, but if Surion was going to continue being an ass about it, she would have been all too happy to shove her sword through his chest. Luce wasn't looking forward to the battle, but she was certainly looking forward to the reprieve that would come with Surion finally kicking the bucket. </p><p>All of the invading forces moved forward at once, and they converged on the city's outer wall in unison. Luce followed suit, concentrating only on what was to come. If Surion truly was there, then she was going to show him what she was made of. He hadn't yet stepped out onto the battlefield, and she was fully intending to give him hell for all of the pain that he had caused. </p><p>The resistance was on the verge of fully breaking through the city's outer wall when Luce could sense something change. She glanced around to find the source of the shift, and her gaze fell upon a figure that had appeared on top of the wall. Luce immediately found disappointment forming in her chest, and she resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Part of her wanted to create a bow and arrow out of her light magic the way that Lewith had been teaching her so that she could simply snipe him down without hesitation. </p><p>However, Luce knew better than to test Faerner of all people, and the mage leaned against the wall before him. There was an aggravating sneer on his face that Luce longed to wipe free of his features simply because it belonged to him. Luce still had a bone to pick with Faerner, and if he was there in place of the king of Igni, then she was going to have to simply take out her rage on him. She still hadn't forgiven Faerner for what he did to Carys, and Luce doubted that she would ever be graced by such generous acts of kindness. </p><p>"If you're here for the king, you should go on and turn around," Faerner declared with a shrug of his shoulders. He was likely using some type of amplification spell to make sure that he was heard by all of the soldiers on the ground. "He isn't here. Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm the only one left. Well, it's me and a few of his mage friends... The upper class truly is not satisfied with the way that you've been acting as of late. It's incredibly disappointing to know that their people respect them so little that they'd march off to war and attempt to kill them in a bloody coup."</p><p>Luce suddenly wanted to stab him far more than before, but she knew that he was only trying to goad them into doing something stupid. Faerner was a master of manipulation, and if he wanted them to do something, he was going to try his best to make sure it happened. Even if he failed, that wasn't going to stop him from putting up one hell of a fight. </p><p>"Still, if you want to invade the city, be my guest. You're going to have to face the consequences of your actions though," Faerner shrugged with a shake of his head. He closed his eyes and snapped his fingers, and a moment later, he disappeared as the air swallowed him in a teleportation spell. </p><p>Luce glared up at the place where he had been standing a moment prior. She didn't think that Faerner's words were going to change a thing about the impending attack. This would cut off one of Surion's potential escape locations, and even if he was already gone, they had to keep him from having the ability to return. If Faerner was still there, then they would be granted the bonus of being able to skewer the pile of crap on something sharp. Luce was certainly looking forward to seeing the pathetic sack of flesh that she knew as Faerner finally facing reprecussions for all that he had done. </p><p>Briyana gave the gesture to continue moving regardless of Faerner's words, and Luce cringed when she heard a percussive sound from nearby. The ground shook from the force of the explosion as a hole was blown into the wall. It would be safer for them to approach through various holes in the outer defensive wall as opposed to flying given the defensive situation of the abandoned city. The enemy would be able to snipe them out of the air with enough effort, and given that they were fighting against nobles with too much pride for their own good, Luce knew that their foes would turn this around and find a way to be cocky about it. </p><p>Luce could hear the distant echo of explosions scattered throughout the area, and she charged towards the city with her sword still in hand. Moving through the small entrance to the city itself was far from easy given how many people Luce had to cram in with, but she still managed to find a place in the crowd. She had long lost track of anyone that she knew. Even Briyana had been lost among the crowd, leaving Luce surrounded by many Ignite leaths and miscellaneous students from the Millennium Six. </p><p>The city itself was far from being anything impressive on the inside, and Luce realized just how right she had been when she assumed that the city was abandoned because of deterioration. The buildings were practically falling apart, and the palace that rested on the largest hill on the other side of the city was all that was left even remotely standing. Roofs were caved in, and stray rocks could be seen everywhere. It was an absolute mess, and Luce couldn't help but smile at the idea of Surion throwing a tantrum over staying in such a rundown space. </p><p>However, Luce's smile was quickly smeared away from her face as she saw the mages that were standing on top of the uppermost hill where the palace rested. Fireballs streaked through the sky at the different holes in the wall, and the ground shook gently as rocks were summoned by the earth mages. Chaos reigned over the battlefield a moment later, and Luce wasn't sure of what to do. </p><p>The crowd slowly managed to divide once again as more space to maneuver was offered. The inside of the city was far easier to navigate than the small holes in the wall. They would have had even more space to move if the wall was completely destroyed, but Luce didn't think that was the best idea. After all, they had to cut off the escape routes of their enemies, and the wall was the easiest way to prevent their foes from fleeing. Those who could teleport were bound to run on their own terms, but those left behind would be forced to fight. </p><p>The enemy had the height advantage since they were on top of the most prominent hill within the city, and fireballs continued to rain down from above along with rocky debris. Luce threw up her arm to keep from being hit by a stray stone, and she frowned when a small cut appeared across the back of her hand from the impact. It was nothing more than a tiny nick, and Luce was thankful beyond imagination that it wasn't any worse. </p><p>Magic was hurled from down below, and Luce created an orb of light magic before sending it flying through the air. The attack rocketed in the direction of the hill where the enemies were waiting, but her attempts at assault were ultimately ineffective. The height disadvantage and distance were too large of issues for them to easily overcome. It was time to try something else. </p><p>Luce found herself creating a sheath for her sword that hung from her hip, and she shoved the blade inside a moment later. She hadn't been aware of this trick for long, but she had learned it in preparation of the final battle, and she was beyond glad that she did. After all, it was the perfect way of freeing her hands. </p><p>Luce took to the skies along with a few other bold mages. She was able to catch sight of Altina and December, both of whom had seemingly come to the same conclusion that Luce herself had. They were both holding bows and starting to nock arrows, and Luce followed their example using her light magic abilities. </p><p>As soon as she was ready, Luce unleashed the attack, and the arrow of light energy spun through the air before making contact with the ground where the enemy mages were standing. A few fighters near the front lines stumbled back, and Luce couldn't help but wonder just how many of them there were. The enemy mages were very clearly outnumbered, but that wasn't stopping them from maintaining an aura of confident pride. </p><p>Luce didn't think on it for much longer than that, instead pressing another arrow into her bow of light and allowing it to fly. This time, she managed to actually hit one of the enemy soldiers, and an opposing mage was struck in the front of the calf. They fell to a knee, and their attempt at a fiery attack fell short. Instead, the flames slammed into the hilltop before them, and a few pieces of the hill began to crumble away from their regular perch before rolling against the destroyed environment below. </p><p>While she was preparing her next attack, Luce glanced out over the crowd of mages, wondering if perhaps she could catch a glimpse of Surion or Faerner. She wouldn't have put it past Faerner to lie about Surion being there, and she wanted to know for herself if the king of Igni had truly decided to set aside his cowardly ways and fight for once. </p><p>However, no matter how much she looked, Luce was unable to catch sight of either one of them. She sighed in aggravation before unleashing another arrow. She could have easily started chucking light orbs at this point, but the arrows were far more accurate. Luce was better with weapons than pure magical blasts, and she didn't think that this would be a good time to start getting experimental with her fighting techniques. </p><p>"Luce! Hey!"</p><p>As soon as she unleashed another arrow, Luce glanced over her shoulder to see that Iris, Sylvia, and Cessair had all approached her. Iris was surveying the battlefield with wary eyes while Sylvia and Cessair attacked from the skies. More and more fighters were starting to take to wing, ignoring the threat of being sniped out of the air. After all, there seemed to be less of a risk if they flew in numbers, and it was this confidence that emboldened the resistance to fight back with even more vitriol than before. </p><p>"Where's everyone else?" Luce questioned, but she already knew what the answer was based on the fact that only those three had joined her. They had been sent in different directions when the fight first started, and chances were that the rest of their group had streamed into the city through the other holes of the walls. </p><p>"I'm not sure," Iris answered. She was still looking through the area madly, trying to find something that could be of use. Her face lit up, and she swooped downwards before returning to the sky a moment later. When she appeared beside her teammates once again, she had a large scrap of metal in her hand. The metal was rusted and appeared to be ready to fall apart at a moment's notice, but Luce supposed that the strength of the metal wasn't as important as the fact that it was there at all. </p><p>Iris closed her eyes, and the metal that she had picked up began to shift its shape. The steel that covered parts of her Isolis outfit merged with what she had found, and she was able to create a barrier of a decent size. It was about as tall as Luce and as wide as Sylvia when she was laying horizontally. The plate didn't appear to be large enough to fit Iris' tastes though, and the metal mage kept on searching the area frantically for other traces of power that she could latch to. </p><p>Luce's eyes flickered around the battlefield once again, desperately trying to catch even a peek of her other companions. There were four holes in the outer wall, but most of them were too far away for Luce to fully pick out the details of those nearby. The hole on the far side of the circular wall stuck out to Luce only because she could see the outline of Leviathan's large draconic form when she squinted. She realized that finding individual people was nearly pointless, and her attention shifted back to the fight once again. </p><p>They were already starting to make progress on knocking away the mages who were attacking from their place directly in front of the abandoned palace. Luce had the sneaking suspicion that there were others who were hiding within the castle itself though, so they were going to have to keep fighting even after there were no longer any fighters who were blatantly present. The battle was going surprisingly well, but they couldn't slip up after coming so far. They still had to beat the living crap out of Surion and Faerner, after all, and Luce didn't think she would ever stop looking forward to that. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Cerise felt odd. </p><p>That was certainly one way of putting it, but it didn't seem to properly explain how strange she truly felt. It was an uncomfortable sensation, flying alongside those who she had once spent her time attacking. Cerise felt as if their loyalty towards her, even if it was minimal, was undeserved after all that she had done while working as a member of the Alight Five. Everyone trusted her shifted honesty, and while Cerise was fully aware of how far she had come and how much she had changed, she couldn't help but feel strange towards the rest of the people she was fighting with. She knew her own actions, but she wouldn't have been able to blame them for feeling suspicious towards her, and yet, they barely seemed to mind that she was there. </p><p>Cerise was flying close to Leviathan alongside Altina, December, Nebula, and Anneliese. Both Minerva and Fromir were mounted on top of the large dragon's back, casting spells from high in the air without needing to levitate. The only person there who Cerise was even remotely comfortable being with was December due to the familiarity factor, but she was aware that the other fighters in the Alight Five had been needed elsewhere. She was simply going to have to get over it. That was part of her duty as a soldier, and she was going to need to learn to move on if she wanted to stop Surion and make up at least partially for what she had done before. </p><p>The back side of the palace had far fewer mages than the front, right, or left directions. There was less space to stand on, and almost all of the mages had left the castle behind. In fact, Cerise couldn't pick out any fighters from inside of the building, and that knowledge sat uncomfortably in the forefront of her mind. There was something else going on here. She wasn't fully aware of what it could have been, but she was positive that something was wrong. </p><p>Anneliese unleashed an energy sphere that flew through the air towards a cluster of mages, knocking one of them away from their perch on the hill where the palace rested. She cringed as said mage was sent tumbling down to the ground. It was a steep fall, and the mage was barely moving afterwards. Cerise honestly though that it was a miracle Anneliese hadn't outright killed them on accident. Then again, that was simply how war went, and given that they were fighting against an oppressive upper class that Cerise had never been particularly fond of, she couldn't bring herself to summon the guilt or grief that she would have had for others who she was forced to take to battle against. </p><p>Leviathan took in a long, heavy breath before unleashing a blast of fire on the mages below. Altina and December pulled in close to his wings to keep from being clipped by his attack by mistake. They had been two of the most mobile fighters up until that point, and Cerise knew that it would have been a loss, both emotionally and tactically, for the two sisters to be forced into a sudden retreat. </p><p>The flames were splendid, and Cerise couldn't help but wonder how such incredible power had always been resting inside of someone known for being such a trickster. It gave her a strange sense of whiplash to see the way that Leviathan fought against the way that he acted most of the time. She wasn't the judge of his behavior, and she was fully aware of such, but it was still strange to her in a dozen different ways. </p><p>Cerise's gaze shifted to the castle as she watched Leviathan's attack play out. She could tell that Leviathan was being forced to keep back to make sure that his fire didn't strike the building itself. Even if its walls were made of bricks that resisted flames, there wasn't anything wrong with being cautious. </p><p>Cerise took advantage of the moment of peace that she had been granted by Leviathan's strike to try and find any faces inside of the building. She cast a small spell that allowed her to zoom in with her vision, and she focused as much as she could manage on the windows. A figure dashed past the nearest opening, and their outline continued to streak through the other windows down the row. </p><p>Surion. </p><p>Cerise's shock was enough to make her snap out of the spell. She was able to free herself of its influences just before her hand was seized by Altina. The heroine yanked Cerise downward so that she was out of the way of a rock attack that had been heading directly towards her. Cerise gave Altina a thankful nod, but her mind was still reeling with the unfortunate revelation that Surion was still there. </p><p>In all honesty, Cerise had been suspicious of Faerner's words that Surion wasn't there from the very beginning. In fact, every single time that Faerner opened his mouth, Cerise assumed that there was something false about what he was saying. The snake-like mage was slippery and knew how to deceive others for his own gains. Cerise wasn't sure of what he had to earn from Igni of all places, but it didn't matter when compared to the actions that he had already been responsible for. </p><p>"He's here," Cerise told Altina, giving the other woman a hardened gaze to show how serious she was. She didn't elaborate, but she was sure that her heavy eyes made it clear who she was talking about. With Faerner, she would have only expressed irritation, but Surion was a different beast entirely. </p><p>Altina let out a heavy sigh before shaking her head and nocking another arrow. She released it without remorse, uncaring as to the life that she had just taken when her arrow hit its target, a fire mage near the front lines. "Of course he is," she replied with a mutter under her breath and a roll of her eyes. She moved on seamlessly quickly, and Cerise felt her stomach twist at the blatant evidence that Altina had been through these motions of combat and war so many times. </p><p>Cerise got back to attacking as soon as she had passed on the message. As much as she wanted to do something about Surion's presence, she didn't know where to even start. It wouldn't be easy to infiltrate the palace as long as there were so many mages scattered around the edges of the castle. In fact, it would be borderline impossible to find a way inside without being sniped out of the air by the mages who were trying to keep Surion safe. She was simply going to have to wait until after she and the rest of the attacking resistance had cleared out the mages that were defending Surion. She simply hoped that he didn't have a plan to turn the tides with. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Once upon a time, S.M. would have been upset to have been left alone with Carys exclusively as they began their invasion on the abandoned Ignite capital. These days, she didn't mind it anywhere near as much, and she was almost surprised by how far she had come in getting over her initial animosity towards Carys. </p><p>In the beginning, their relationship had been understandably strained. Carys had been so blatantly a princess with no qualities that grounded her to earth, making her a clear contrast from the other royal or noble members of the team. Carys' Sealing had changed things significantly, and S.M. could sense a clear change in Carys' attitude towards the world. It was refreshing to see how far Carys had come, and S.M. found herself enjoying the presence of the ice mage far more than she had ever anticipated. </p><p>S.M. wasn't sure if there were any other familiar faces nearby, but there certainly weren't any in the air. A brief look downwards gave her sight of River, Arisu, Jin, and Zylphia. That certainly was an interesting cast of characters, and S.M. found it odd that Zylphia and Jin were separated from Tanith. Then again, it wasn't as if they had any choice as to who they ended up with. The battle was simply far too chaotic for any of them to fully account for it. </p><p>Zylphia took to the skies a moment later, and she sent out a blast of fierce electricity towards the nearest cluster of mages. S.M. had seen Zylphia fight before, but she still found herself impressed by the sheer power that Zylphia was capable of unleashing. She was clearly experienced with war, and S.M. didn't think she would ever stop feeling sheer wonder when it came to Zylphia and the rest of the Starlight Camaraderie. </p><p>S.M. saw a flash of metal pass through the air near the mages on the front side of the palace. A sheet of silver pressed through the area, knocking the mages away from their perch or otherwise forcing them together. S.M. could tell that this was likely something that Iris had been responsible for given the fact that metal magic was blatantly involved. However, that didn't give S.M. the ability to figure out where specifically Iris could be found. The sky was simply too crowded with all of the flying mages for S.M. to come anywhere close to tracking her down. That was one reason that she was staying so close to Carys; if they split up, there was no guarantee that they would be able to find one another again. </p><p>Carys released an ice blast that forced the opposing mages closer to the metal sheet in question. As soon as a snowflake managed to grace the surface of the steel, ice began to build along the surface, and it made contact with a few mages who had strayed a bit too close the edge. The ice continued to slide across the metal until it had completely covered the steel. </p><p>Carys clenched her fingers into a fist, and the ice began to explode outward, showering the nearby mages with ice that slashed at what little skin could be seen peeking out from beneath their elaborate silken clothing. S.M. had to resist the urge to scoff and sneer at the sight of the mages of Igni struggling. Once again, Carys was giving the planet of Igni hell, and S.M. couldn't help the pride that overtook her at the sight of Carys' incredibly actions. </p><p>That was when the strange feeling appeared. </p><p>S.M. wasn't sure where it came from. She felt as if something was wrong, but she didn't know how to identify the source or what was happening in the first place. All she knew was that something had changed, and her instincts told her that she had to find out as soon as possible for the sake of their safety. </p><p>S.M. managed to turn herself around, and she pressed her back against Carys' spine as she surveyed the outside of the defensive wall. Her eyes went wide as soon as she saw what was waiting outside of the crumbling barrier, and everything started to make sense. She hated that she understood what was happening. </p><p>Shadows were swarming the outside of the city. </p><p>The mages surrounding the palace were continuing to go down, and the number of Shadows was only continuing to rise. With every mage that went down, three more Shadows came into view, weaving their way around the obstacles standing in the way of their entrance into the city. There were trees keeping the Shadows from simply rushing the city, but those deep brown subjects of greenery were the only defense that the city had. </p><p>This had been the plan all along, S.M. realized. Surion or Faerner, whichever one of them was responsible, had lured them into the city with the intention of making sure that they were distracted. All the while, Shadows were being summoned. Chances were high that the one responsible for the casting of the spell was hiding inside of the building itself, but it wasn't as if any of them could slip between the cracks to fight the culprit. There were simply too many mages to get through, and S.M. absolutely hated that she was cursed with such knowledge but didn't have a way of sharing it. </p><p>While S.M. had been distracted with watching the number of Shadows grow, the mages had continued to fall apart, and only a fraction of the original total of fighters still remained. However, the Shadows were still rising in volume and quantity, and S.M. tapped Carys on the shoulder. The ice mage gave her a confrontational glare at first, not seeming to realize who had touched her, but Carys' eyes softened and melted as soon as she realized that S.M. was behind it. </p><p>Carys didn't realize what was happening until S.M. gestured to the endless Shadows, and the opposing mages began to slip away even more than before. The Shadows were scrambling to get into the holes of the city's walls. The mages who were left in the aftermath of the battle began to retreat, disappearing into the gates of the palace as soon as they realized that the Shadows had manifested in full. </p><p>"We're so dead," Carys said, her eyes wide. She didn't say anything else, but S.M. could see the legitimate fear that was festering in Carys' gaze. The last time that S.M. had seen Carys so terrified, Faerner had poisoned her beneath the streets of Igni's current capital, and S.M. would never be able to rip that image away from her mind. </p><p>But she didn't say any of that. Instead, S.M. simply nodded silently. "Yeah."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Alitia really do be pulling me through school huh</p><p>-Digital</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0043"><h2>43. XLIII: Revival of the Moon</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The Shadows swarm the city as Surion attempts to escape.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Helena absolutely hated this damn battle already. </p><p>As soon as the Shadows started to peek over the horizon, she knew that they would be in it for the long haul. She pulled herself closer to Tanith and Sophia, her two allies for the battle at hand, and started attacking from as far away as she could manage. She was a bit too far from the Shadows to see if her attacks were making contact with their targets, much less doing damage, but Helena kept throwing spheres of fire through the sky regardless. She didn't see much of a choice, in all honesty. </p><p>Helena was as good as alone with Tanith and Sophia as far as she could tell. There were no other familiar faces within range, and the city was too large for her to search through all of the people nearby without compromising her ability to attack. She had to stay focused no matter how isolated and exposed she felt. Her nerves couldn't get the best of her when they were in such a dire situation. </p><p>Sophia seemed to feel the same way. She moved through the air towards the walls of the city, and she dropped down a small sprinkling of dust at the empty holes where the outer wall had once stood tall and proud. Helena watched as the magic floated to the ground before Sophia clapped her hands together, and large green vines began to rise upwards, creating a barrier that blocked out all of the Shadows in the region. </p><p>Tanith shot Sophia a weary smile before she got to work in a similar way. She raised her hands above her head, creating a sphere of air that whirled rapidly. Tanith launched it forward, and the churning wind landed on the ground just in front of Sophia's barrier. The sphere expanded outwards, and it began to swallow all the Shadows who dared to get too close. Tanith pressed her hands together when she believed that the orb was at full capacity, and all of the Shadows within its boundaries gave way alongside her magic, creating an explosion of familiar sludge that rained down on the outside Shadows. </p><p>Helena started to direct her attacks in the direction of the hole that Sophia was attempting to plug. The nature mage wasn't going to be able to keep this up for much longer because of how large the gap was. Fortifying the hole in the wall would have been difficult for anyone, but her magic was weakened because of how far away they had to be in order to remain safe. The shadows attempting to break through the vines certainly weren't helping, and each blow against the wall of writhing plants seemed to hit Sophia personally. Helena saw the enchantress wince from time to time, and she could tell that Sophia was starting to lose her energy already. </p><p>"We have to get earth mages to start filling those holes up again!" Tanith cried out as she unleashed another attack. "The rocks from the wall will be easy to use, and if we play our cards right, we'll be able to make sure that nothing else happens within the borders of the city! That will keep most of the Shadows out since none of them are attacking from the sky!"</p><p>Helena nodded, and she glanced around once again to see if she recognized anyone. Helena cursed the fact that there weren't many mages from Igni, and the divide of leaths and mages among the population bothered Helena more then than ever before. She didn't know of any mages whose specialties revolved around earth magic outside of Igni, and they were going to need all the help that they could get if they were going to fill those holes before more Shadows broke through the barrier. </p><p>"I-I don't know how m-much longer I can d-do this!" Sophia cried out. She was suffering under a cruel mixture of adrenaline and pressure, leaving her to shudder with every blow against her shield of vines. She let out a small yelp of pain as a particularly powerful Shadow managed to get through the crowd to bash against the barrier. The phantom pain was strong enough to nearly knock her out of the sky. </p><p>Helena saw this as a prompt to do what she could to ease her friend's suffering, and she flew to Sophia's side before wrapping an arm around her waist. The action was disjointed and awkward since they were still flying on their own and lacked any sort of synchronicity, but at least Sophia was being kept in the air. That was all that mattered to Helena for the time being. </p><p>"There are so many of them!" Tanith exclaimed. "I don't think I've ever seen this many Shadows summoned before at one time! The attack that Faerner led was only as large as it was because he casted spells for them multiple times, but this... This is too much!"</p><p>Helena couldn't help but feel the same. She was positive that the Thanatos War had lacked this edge of brutality, though she supposed that it made sense. After all, the former capital city of Igni was far larger than Alitia, and it would take the enemy far more effort to seize it from the forces of Briyana's resistance after they had managed to storm the city's walls. It was natural that the large number of Shadows would be required, but that didn't mean that she liked it. </p><p>In fact, she absolutely detested the idea. Helena couldn't help but wonder if perhaps Tanith was right when she said that this was too much. If Surion had been casting spells for Shadows multiple times, then somebody would have discovered his strange activities sooner. The only two ways for someone to have brought so many Shadows to life would have involved either many spells over a long period of time or many casters over a short period. </p><p>Helena's eyes shot open at the realization, and she was only pulled from her trance of rushing thoughts when Sophia let out another yelp of shock. Helena could see that she was on the verge of completely losing her transformation, so Sophia pulled her hands back in a defensive gesture. The plants remained where they were, but they were no longer being reinforced, leaving them weak and flimsy in the line of fire. </p><p>Helena eased Sophia onto the roof of a nearby building until she was able to recover her strength, but her mind didn't stop racing even as she shifted location. Tanith landed beside them, summoning another sphere of air that she sent through the gaps in Sophia's wall of plants. She destroyed another bunch of Shadows in the seconds that followed before her eyes found Helena. Her gaze was expectant, and Helena was sure that Tanith had worked out that she knew something. </p><p>"There are too many Shadows here for Surion to have been the only one summoning them," she told Tanith. "The only people that we're aware of who possess a Moonlight Blessing are Nebula, Faerner, and the Alight Five. Nebula and the Alight Five are on our side, so that leaves only Faerner and Surion to have summoned all of these Shadows."</p><p>"But... There are too many of them for those two to be the only ones behind this..." Sophia murmured in between heavy, strained breaths. Her face was contorted with pain, and when she met Helena's eyes, her gaze was glassy and distant, as if she was on the verge of reverting back to her regular form to conserve as much energy as possible. </p><p>Tanith let out a gasp, and a snarl formed on her face soon afterwards. Helena was about to ask what had her so upset, but she was cut off by Tanith unleashing another attack. Helena hurled a fireball over the wall in a grand arc to follow Tanith's example. She heard the explosion but didn't see it, too low beneath the wall's top edge to notice what had taken place. Around them, earth mages began to try and reconstruct the wall, but there was only so much they could do while fending off the Shadows. The mages who had been around the castle were starting to escape in earnest, leaving the area surrounding the palace nearly completely vacant. </p><p>However, none of that mattered to Helena, as the pieces were coming together in full. She suddenly understood what had caught Tanith by such surprise, and her eyes narrowed at the thought. Anger unlike anything she had ever experienced coursed through her body. The most similar sensation had come from the aftermath of Carys' capture, but that had been far more related to grief than the rage that filled Helena's insides in that instant at the heart of the battle. </p><p>"The Keeper of Moonlight is here," Helena concluded. "The Keeper of Moonlight helped to summon these Shadows because he wants all of us to go down. The city was a trap, and Surion was the bait. The Keeper of Moonlight is trying to kill us all."</p><p>~~~~~</p><p>The tunnels beneath the palace were damn near incomprehensible to Surion, but he didn't allow that to stop him. He had to keep moving. He knew that he didn't have a choice if he wanted to stay alive. If he ran into a dead end, he would simply have to deal with it and double back. All that mattered was ensuring that he was able to escape without earning the suspicion of any of the mages and leaths fighting on the ground above. The Shadows that he and Faerner had summoned during the distraction of the battle were helping to make sure that he got away, but Surion still had to do the heavy lifting of actually following through with his duties. </p><p>"You sure are leaving the battle early."</p><p>The unidentifiable voice came from behind Surion, and he immediately stopped before turning around. The figure that had spoken was hidden behind a dozen layers of magic that made their true appearance nearly impossible to surmise. Their voice had clearly been changed by magic as well, leaving it distorted and difficult to pin down. However, Surion knew that was the point as soon as he saw the familiar symbol that rested at the center of their chest, a marking of who they truly were. </p><p>The Keeper of Moonlight walked towards him, and Surion remained silent as the other person continued to speak. "I helped to make sure that you would be able to get away, you know. After all, I believe that we can help each other, but that isn't going to be possible if you die in this fight," he commented. </p><p>"What is that you wish for?" Surion questioned. He had been sure that he would never see the Keeper of Moonlight again after he was given a Blessing alongside Faerner and the Alight Five. After all, the Keeper of Moonlight seemed keen on operating out of the shadows. There was a reason that they had never been seen in public before. The Church of Moonlight had been hiding their existence and true face for a great many years, and Surion knew better than to question the reasoning behind such a desire for secrecy. After all, he was no stranger to hiding the truth from the rest of the world. </p><p>"Wipe out the resistance," the Keeper of Moonlight instructed. "Your forces, Shadows included, need to destroy every pathetic whelp here. I don't care how many Shadows you have to summon, but it must be done. There are too many important players in the game for this to last any longer."</p><p>"We both benefit from an outcome where the rebellion is destroyed," Surion remarked. "I don't know why you could possibly want it to fall apart, but I need to make sure that they go down. They've been empowering rebellions all across the planet, and I'm tired of snuffing out small resistance forces. The leaths simply need to know their place. The mages are the ones who live at the top of the pyramid, and they're fools for believing that they can climb any higher than they already have."</p><p>"The leaths and their sympathizers will surely be defeated as long as you act smartly," the Keeper of Moonlight remarked with a slow nod. He closed the distance between himself and Surion in the blink of an eye, and he pressed one hand against the king's forehead. Surion was too shocked to move, but he could feel power rising to the surface once again. He hadn't felt such a thing since he was first offered the Blessing of Moonlight following River's capture. </p><p>"Your power is far beyond what I ever could have imagined," Surion commented when the Keeper of Moonlight finally took a step away. "Then again, if you have the power to grant Blessings through dreams across great distance... I suppose that it's only natural that you would be able to easily stop anyone who dared to stand in your path."</p><p>"It's too early for me to take to the battlefield now. However, I can promise you that you will have the ability to rule over Igni with an iron fist should this battle end in your favor. It won't be possible for any of your foes to stand up against you ever again. They were foolish for believing that they could defeat you in the first place, but you're going to show them how much of a mistake they're making," the Keeper of Moonlight told him. "I trust that this battle is in your hands. I will grant you one final batch of Shadows, and then you will have to simply stay here and make sure that nothing goes wrong. As long as you survive, the Shadows will continue to live and fight in your name. They cannot be killed, so they will return infinitely until nothing of this pathetic resistance force remains."</p><p>"The resistance will fall here and now," Surion declared. "No one will ever get in the way of my rule again... Not the rebellion, not the leaths, and not my foolishly sympathetic relatives."</p><p>"That's right... You were the one who ordered the death of Princess Octavia," the Keeper of Moonlight mused. Surion wondered where he could have heard such a thing, but he was never able to voice such a question before the Keeper of Moonlight continued. "I trust that you will turn this determination into action to stop the resistance once and for all. After all, you've come too far to back down now, and I don't believe that you'll tolerate failure."</p><p>Surion nodded as the Keeper of Moonlight disappeared in a flicker of blue, purple, and black magic. His patron was correct in assuming that Surion wasn't going to allow his enemies to get the best of him. He was the one who was meant to rule over Igni, and there was nothing they would be able to do about it. If they continued to insist on standing in his way, they would simply have to perish, and Surion was all too happy to act as death's agent. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Eros swung his axe with as much confidence as he could muster given the close quarters. The blades expelled flames that crackled through the air before slamming into the nearest Shadows, wiping them out immediately. Briyana followed up with an attack using a broadsword that she had brought to the fight. Her gaze was intense, and Eros could see her fiery passion out of the corner of his eye each time he halted his assault. </p><p>This battle was quickly showing itself to have given leaths a blatant disadvantage from the very beginning. The mages from the Millennium Six and within the resistance had been the ones doing the most damage during the earlier stages of the battle when the nobility's mages were standing around the castle. Those who could use bows were able to attack as well, but for the most part, the mages were the ones running the show. There was simply too large of a distance between the ground and the castle's location, and surging forward would have only resulted in countless losses due to the height disadvantage. </p><p>But the Shadows only made the issues worse. The earth mages were the ones who were having to focus on plugging the holes, and that kept anyone from getting too close. The leaths who could only fight at close range were left to stand back and watch as the mages did all of the work to wipe out the Shadows. Eros could certainly see why it was that Surion had chosen this location for the battle. This had undoubtedly been his plan all along. He could lure in the rebellion, a group that mostly consisted of leaths, and then crush them in a battle where they were forced to play defensively in a situation where that was the last thing they could afford. It was genius in a way that Eros hated, and he wanted to cut off Surion's head more than ever before. </p><p>"What should we do now?" Eros questioned of Briyana. She was the one who could fly, after all. She was a heroine, and even if her manifestation was completely unrelated to combat, she had trained herself through pure dedication and had more than enough raw strength to hold her own in the fight. </p><p>Briyana slashed through a Shadow that had managed to get through the defensive lines. A water mage sent a current through the area to pick up the sludge left behind, hurling it through a gap in the wall that was being reconstructed nearby. Briyana turned to face Eros as soon as she realized that the situation had been taken care of. "We're just going to have to keep going," Briyana shrugged. "He's trapping himself in here with us. I'm positive that there are tunnels beneath this capital just as there are in the current one. All we have to do is use them to our advantage and make sure that he can't escape."</p><p>"He's too new to his Moonlight Blessing to be able to leave the Shadows here," Eros remarked. "He's going to need to stay nearby if he wants to maintain them for the battle ahead since he's never done this before, so we're going to have to find him while he's still here. We need to make sure that he's still in the area as soon as possible. After all, he could use this as a distraction to leave, and when the Shadows go down, it will already be too late to catch him."</p><p>Briyana nodded her agreement and glanced up to the castle. Eros knew what she was thinking already, and he had a twisting feeling in his stomach that made him sure he was going to be sick. He knew what she wanted to do, but that didn't mean that he liked it. In fact, the idea was absolutely awful to him. They had been holding off on storming the former royal palace for as long as they had solely because the mages standing around its border had kept them from getting close. However, without the outer line of mages to keep them out, the path to palace was fully available for them to charge through. </p><p>"You've got to be kidding me," Eros muttered, resisting the urge to swear in the presence of so many students. He hated the cramped quarters that this battle brought, but he knew that the only way they were going to be able to expand would be to follow Briyana's suggestion of storming the palace itself. The idea was awful to him, but it wasn't as if he particularly had a choice. If they wanted to win this fight, that was the next step, and there was no going against it. </p><p>"Oh, I wish I was too," Briyana chuckled, somehow managing to crack a joke even in the heat of such a tense situation. She shook her head and shrugged before glancing around to find a mage. She tapped them on the shoulder and gestured to her mouth, making it clear through her silence that she wanted them to cast a spell that would amplify her words. The mage in question, who Eros realized was a cantor, followed Briyana's nonverbal instruction without hesitation, and the leath general gave them a firm nod before taking to the skies. Eros tried to take up as much space as possible so that she would be able to stand beside him when she returned to the ground. </p><p>"Storm the palace!" Briyana declared, swiping one arm through the air to show that she was serious. The crowds of leaths began to chatter, but Briyana's confidence made it clear that she wouldn't be hearing any objections. "Surion has to be around here somewhere, and we have to get him before he can escape! Make your way to the castle and start searching as soon as you can! There are tunnels beneath the city that we can definitely access from there!"</p><p>The response to Briyana's words was immediate, and the leaths who were unable to shift the tides of battle on the defensive front moved towards the offensive crowds, making their way closer to the heart of the city. Eros remained firm as others moved around him, praying that Briyana would decide to come back after she was finished. The two of them fought well together, and they had far more chemistry in combat than he would have initially expected given how different they were. Still, that didn't mean he was going to complain; Eros knew better than to stop and think about life when there was a battle raging all around them. </p><p>Briyana's words had become little more than a distant drone to Eros by the time that she was finished, and she landed beside him in a crouch, her splendid wings folding in closer. She was at the Inlustris level as far as Eros could tell, and her outfit consisted of beautiful shades of pink, orange, and yellow that gave her the appearance of a setting sun, taking all of the world's attention for a moment of change. It was fitting to Eros that she looked this way, but he wouldn't ever dare to say that to her. After all, there were other things for him to be focusing on, both in his life as a whole and in that particular moment at the heart of the fight. </p><p>"Let's go," Briyana told Eros, giving him a brief glance over her shoulder before she started to run forward. She was surprisingly fast on foot for someone with wings, Eros had to admit. He was used to those with wings simply utilizing air power to get from place to place, but Briyana was once again proving herself to be one step above the rest. He shouldn't have been particularly shocked in all honesty; Briyana had proven herself incredible and beyond expectation in a dozen different ways prior to this, after all. </p><p>Eros shook his thoughts free of his head as he continued to move, and he kept his axe pulled in close so that he didn't accidentally hit anybody who was moving nearby. Briyana did the same with her sword as the crowds began to swarm through the twisted city streets. The buildings were mostly small and shallow, likely places for the wealthiest of leaths to live since most mages had their own estates elsewhere. Eros did his best not to show his bitterness at the blatant divide in social standing that the difference between the palace and abandoned homes showed, but he found his anger seeping in regardless. </p><p>
  <em>Just focus on killing Surion. As soon as that weed has been taken care of, everything can start to change. Without him, the leaths will be able to take some sense of control on Igni, and that will alter everything that happens on this damn planet from this point forward.</em>
</p><p>The castle continued to loom high above the rest of the buildings in the capital, and each step that Eros took brought him closer to it. There was a consistently shifting shadow that came with the flying mages shifting about to try and close the gaps in the outer wall. Spells were being hurled in every direction, creating streaks of color that cast odd flickers of light across the leaths that surged from below. Briyana seemed to glow when a mixture of pink and orange crossed over her, showing off the confident determination that glittered in her dark eyes. </p><p>Eros slid to a stop when the leaths finally arrived at the base of the hill where the palace could be found. It would be harder to march upwards due to the terrain, but they were going to do it anyways. This was their best option, and it was their only choice if they wanted to pull through as the victors of the coming battle. </p><p>Eros followed Briyana and the rest of the leaths further up the hill, only stopping when he could see the bricks that lined the bottom edge of the palace. He had to peer between many heads to see the castle through the crowd, but it was still close enough that he could feel it. The pulse of victory passed through him, and Eros almost felt as if he had been electrified. The call of battle pulled him in closer, a force of silent gravity that dragged him away from the potential of peace regardless of if he liked it or not. </p><p>The castle's doors stood tall and proud, and Eros couldn't help but wonder if perhaps they had been reinforced using some type of magic from the enemy forces. After all, the rest of the city looked as if it was on the verge of falling apart from disrepair, but the palace's entrance seemed almost too good to be true. He supposed that it didn't matter much in the grand scheme of things; after all, they were still going to have to break it down, and Eros was all too happy to slam his axe into the palace until it gave way under the force that he knew he was capable of dishing out. </p><p>Eros never got the chance to do that though. Instead, the forces who rested near the front lines started to charge through, slamming weapons and everything else they could find against the barrier. A few mages began to cluster overhead, and Eros had to resist the urge to roll his eyes. This was something that the leaths were doing, and they didn't need any damn help as far as he was concerned. His bitterness sunk its ugly teeth into his bones, and Eros had to actively remind himself to not lash out at mages outside of the Alight Five. They were the only ones that he was used to, and even they weren't exempt from his temper issues if he was in a nasty enough mood. </p><p>Eros' moment of scowling to himself drew to a close as soon as a metal mage approached the doors and pressed his hands against the surface. At first, Eros thought that perhaps the mage in question had been the Iris girl who mad screwed his axe up horribly before taking it, as the mage in question had bright red hair that reminded him of her. However, he realized that the mage was levitating using other magical skills as opposed to flying with wings, so Eros held back his animosity and decided to focus on the satisfying ways in which the metal twisted under the mage's grasp. </p><p>Soon afterwards, the entrance to the palace had been completely burst down, leaving a wide open path to the center of the castle. The leaths began to charge through immediately, and the mage that had made such a thing possible flew off to help with taking care of the Shadows once again. The final stretch was in sight at long last. </p><p>Personally, Eros was glad that the leaths were the ones taking care of Surion. If the mages were distracted with eliminating the Shadows that swarmed the outer walls of the city, then that left the leaths to track down Surion and kill his sorry ass. To Eros, this was justice. The mages had suffered nowhere near as much under Surion's reign, and it only made sense that those who had been hurt the most by Surion's actions were given the chance to track him down and show him what they were made of. Eros was silently positive that the mages would wind up joining the leaths inside of the castle later on, but he couldn't bring himself to care as he moved into the entryway of the castle. </p><p>"This is it," Eros heard Briyana murmur from beside him. They were at the center of the crowd, and Briyana cupped her hands around her mouth. Her voice echoed throughout the building's front room, reaching the ears of every leath within range. "Search every corner of the castle! Nobody go alone! Travel in groups of at least five, and make sure that you take out any mages who insist on continuing to put up a fight!"</p><p>Eros followed Briyana without hesitation, knowing that she would want him to stay by her side because of how strong they were together. When she began to move deeper into the heart of the building, Eros trailed after her. His grip on his axe grew tighter as he thought about what was to come. Before the day drew to a close, Surion was going to be dead, and if all went according to plan, Eros would be involved with the end of the king's life. After years of wishing for retribution and wanting nothing more than to kill Surion for the suffering he and the system he encouraged had caused, Eros' wishes were going to come true, and that was the best gift he ever could have been granted.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This update is late bc I had a wicked cramp all day but shh it's here now</p><p>-Digital</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0044"><h2>44. XLIV: Tipping Point</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The final battle on Igni continues to rage on.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Reconstructing the wall was, to put it simply, an absolute pain in the ass. </p><p>S.M. nearly collapsed onto the roof of a small hut near the outer edge of the city after her segment of the wall had been closed. Three of the four holes had been plugged with rocks by that point, and all of the mages who were continuing to engage in combat were standing on top of the boundary and firing spells down from above. Carys had been doing that until she saw that the hole had been filled in, and that was her cue to fly over to S.M. and check on her. </p><p>At first, S.M. had been confident that she was fine. However, the second that she was no longer running off the pure adrenaline of needing to keep the Shadows out of the former capital, she absolutely fell apart, and her wings nearly gave out as she attempted to land. Her energy had left her body all at once, and she had more than a few crass words and vulgar phrases for the wall that had caused so many issues for her. She had to actively resist the urge to glare at it with all the force that she could muster, understanding that she had other issues to take care of before she could lose her focus. </p><p>"Are you doing alright?" Carys questioned as she helped to ease S.M. onto the building's roof. Carys seemed to have found her answer long before S.M. offered a response, and she cringed as S.M. let out a huff of air and turned her attention towards the sky. S.M. had to use far too much of her remaining energy to keep from falling backwards into a horizontal position. Even if she had been working with other mages to keep the Shadows out of the city, there was only so much that she could do on her own. The rocks were easy to manipulate, but trying to create a blockade that was likely over a hundred feet tall was seriously out of her range. If not for the power boost that came with her Sealing, S.M. likely never would have been able to pull it off. The headache that was starting to form at the base of her neck pounded its agreement. </p><p>"If the Shadows start flying, I'm making it somebody else's problem," S.M. muttered angrily. The words sounded oddly faraway, and she recognized that she had likely pushed herself too far without meaning to. It wasn't as if she could go back and fix such a mistake, but it frustrated her regardless. </p><p>"Not yet," Carys told her. "But if the holes in the wall all get filled in, it's probably going to happen sooner or later. Shadows don't have an explicit shape, and given how many of them have already been taken down, it's only a matter of time before they start trying to attack us from the sky. Absolutely lovely for us, wouldn't you say?" Her voice was dripping with sarcasm, and she let out a snort with a simultaneous roll of her eyes. </p><p>S.M. decided to use this time where she was grounded and resting to try and identify where the rest of her team was. She couldn't figure out where any of them were, not that she particularly expected to in the first place. The city's walls created a giant circle, and seeing up into the air overhead was difficult enough. Trying to pick out a few specific mages among the onslaught of fighters circling the city was something else, and S.M. realized after a few seconds that it was a task she would rather not attempt. </p><p>Carys glanced back and forth between S.M. and the overhead fight, and conflict began to brew in her icy eyes. She reached one hand out to touch S.M.'s arm, and the short-haired girl found herself hissing at how cold Carys was. She knew that ice mages had a lower body temperature than most others, but given that S.M. was starting to feel a bit feverish after using so much energy, the shift was enough to make her wince. She internally wondered how the hell Helena, a fire mage, put up with Carys on a regular basis. </p><p>"I'm going to check out what's going on. I feel like something has changed," Carys eventually told S.M. before rising to her feet. She didn't wait for a response, instead kicking off the ground and allowing her wings to carry her away. S.M. grasped at the air in vain to try and bring Carys back, but she found that she wasn't able to do much aside from grab at the hot and still breeze around her. S.M. swore under her breath for what felt like the fiftieth time in the past hour. </p><p>Waiting for Carys was agonizing, to put it simply. S.M. prayed that the ice mage hadn't gotten lost among the curtain of shifting fighters overhead. Flickers of light splayed across her face as magical attacks were hurled constantly. S.M. wound up shutting her eyes tightly as she pulled her knees up to her chest to try and keep herself grounded. She was going to faint if she didn't handle the light overhead with as much care as she could manage. It was simply too damn bright, and there was too much of it for her to simply grin and bear it given her weakened state. </p><p>Just when S.M. was starting to think that Carys had abandoned her, the ice mage slid back into place at her side. S.M. opened her eyes and saw a relieved grin had spawned upon Carys' features. She could tell that Carys had good news, though she wasn't positive of what exactly had gotten Carys so excited. </p><p>"Leaths have managed to get into the palace," Carys explained. She seemed almost breathless, and S.M. assumed that she had zipped through the sky as quickly as she could manage to deliver the news as soon as possible. "They managed to break down the door and get inside since all of the mages near the castle retreated or were defeated. My guess is that they're sweeping the area now for signs of Faerner and Surion. They have to be nearby if they're maintaining this number of Shadows, especially since Surion hasn't brought them to life before."</p><p>S.M. could have sworn that the world tilted into focus at Carys' words, and she let out a sigh of relief. "Thank Starlight," she muttered. She turned her attention upwards and saw that the fight was still raging on, and there wasn't an end in sight as far as she was aware. She and Carys were going to have to jump back into the fray if they were going to get things done in a timely manner. The idea sounded awful to her given how nauseous she still was, but that didn't stop S.M. from forcing herself to her feet once again. </p><p>Carys began to whisper something under her breath, and she pressed her hands to S.M.'s upper arm. A feeling of cold spread through S.M.'s body in the blink of an eye, and she glanced down to the spot where Carys was touching her. She felt oddly calm all of a sudden, and the universe seemed to slow down for a breath of a moment. S.M. blinked in response, and when Carys pulled her hands away, everything seemed clearer. S.M. could feel her energy starting to return once again even after her previous dizzying endeavors. </p><p>S.M.'s vision was still starting to slide into clarity when she heard Carys speak from beside her. The words were far sharper than before, and S.M. wondered just how out of it she had been prior to Carys casting the new spell. "That's a little charm I learned in the basics spells class taught by Professor Luna," she explained. "It should help to restore your energy at least a little bit."</p><p>S.M. gave a nod of thanks in Carys' direction, and she had to admit that she was impressed with the change in personality that the enchantress of ice had displayed in the past few months. Back when they first met, S.M. never would have imagined that Carys was capable of being so generous, but it appeared that more had changed between them than they were openly acknowledging. The change was refreshing in a thousand different ways, and S.M. made a mental note to ask Carys how to pull off such a spell when things weren't so chaotic around them. </p><p>"What do you think we should do now?" S.M. questioned, glancing up towards the sky before shifting her attention in the direction of the abandoned palace. She could see the highest towers cresting the horizon with their pointed edges, but the details were muddled due to the distance and varying flashes of colored light. S.M. assumed that leaths were still streaming inside given how the mages were needed for their ranged abilities to keep the Shadows from getting into the city's boundaries. </p><p>"We could head in the direction of the castle," Carys offered after a moment of hesitation. "It seems to me like all of the mages have things taken care of out here, and I don't think that you want to put up with the stupid wall anymore. Besides, I don't know about you, but I personally think that I would love to clash with Surion personally."</p><p>"Just say that you want to beat up Faerner. No reason to hide behind Surion's name," S.M. snorted with a playful nudge in Carys' direction. "You want revenge because he kidnapped and poisoned you. There's no shame in something like that."</p><p>Carys looked appalled for all of three seconds before she gave up on the act and let out a heavy sigh as she shook her head. "Fine, you caught me," she muttered. "Faerner's actions might have led to me being Sealed, but that doesn't mean that I have to like him. In fact, I think I still want to tear him a new one for what he did to us."</p><p>"You're not the only one," S.M. told her. "Fine. If we're in agreement, then let's head in the direction of the castle and do what we can to take out Faerner as soon as possible. There's no guarantee that we'll even be able to find him in a timely manner, but we can at least make an attempt."</p><p>Carys nodded and started to glance up towards the sky once again. She forced her wings to carry her a moment later, and she looked towards S.M. patiently. The other girl nodded and took to the skies soon afterwards, and they started to dart off in the direction of the castle, unsure of what was waiting for them but ready to face it regardless. </p><p>S.M. found herself wondering about what was to come next as she and Carys streaked through the skies. She watched the scenery flicker down below her, seeing it but not giving it much attention. Her thoughts were solely on her grandfather, and she couldn't wait to take him down. All she wanted was for him to suffer for the pain that he had inflicted upon others, and if all went according to plan, that was exactly what was going to happen. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Luce glanced around to ensure that she was alright to land as she slowly settled onto the outer wall of the city. Sylvia, Iris, and Cessair followed suit. None of them were used to having fought for such a long period of time without the chance to rest, and it was starting to weigh on them like few battles prior had. The closest comparison would have undoubtedly been the encounters against the Shadows at Alitia when Iago was still alive and in power, but even that felt like a pathetic connection in Luce's eyes. </p><p>Cessair's primary job throughout all of this had been to sweep away the remaining pieces of Shadow sludge that were left behind when someone else defeated a monstrous foe. It required her constant attention, and Luce was starting to see the constant readiness for violence seep into her eyes. Cessair was perhaps the least susceptible to the whims of combat out of all of them, and it brought her far more pain than expected to see someone like that fall into the influence of fighting. Part of Luce wanted to scream at the mere traces of anxiety that she could see in Cessair's gaze, but she knew that wouldn't help in the slightest, so she bit back her nerves and decided to continue focusing on the subject at hand. </p><p>Landing brought with it immediate relief, and Luce's wings, which had never grown quite so exhausted before, enjoyed being away from the air. She was pushing herself too far, and she was fully aware of it. Luce had never struggled with this sort of weariness before, and it hurt more than she had anticipated. All of a sudden, she understood with perfect comprehension why it was that her class on flying was so necessary. It was needed in order to build stamina, and Luce didn't even want to imagine how lost she would have been if she didn't already have at least a bit of endurance on the back burner. </p><p>"I hate this," Sylvia muttered from somewhere off to Luce's left. The energy mage had fallen to her knees, but she was still casting large strikes of white lightning that streaked through the air before slamming into her dark targets. "I know that this onslaught has to stop sooner or later, but there's only so much of this crap that I can take!"</p><p>"Not even the battle against Iago's shadows was quite this grueling," Iris commented. She spread her hands before clapping them together once again, and Luce saw twin plates of metal separate before slamming into one another, crushing the Shadows that were unlucky enough to be caught in the middle."</p><p>"I'm sure it'll be easier to take care of after the earth mages have the hole filled in," Cessair commented with a tired smile. It was difficult to determine whether Cessair was saying this for her own peace of mind or because she actually believed it, but Luce felt as if she already knew the answer, and it was far from being positive. </p><p>Luce gave a quick glance towards the wall, and she resisted the urge to let out a string of vulgarities. Of the four holes in the outer wall, three of them had been filled in, and she was unlucky enough to be closest to the one that still had to be taken care of. There was nothing that she could do about it, but that didn't lessen her frustration in the slightest. She wanted to be able to focus on other matters, but it was impossible to do anything aside from try to keep the Shadows from getting into the city. Everyone was getting tired from the constant fighting, and keeping the Shadows at bay was only growing harder as time crawled on. Luce prayed that the earth mages finished as soon as possible before they slipped up and doomed the battle in its entirety. </p><p>The only hole that was left was the cause of all of the problems for the battle at hand as far as Luce could tell. The remaining hole was where most of the Shadows were focusing their attacks, almost as if they realized that this was the only way they were going to be able to get into the city. The person controlling them hadn't given the cue for them to shift into flying beasts quite yet, and that left the large mass of Shadows to storm towards the hole in the wall with as much power as they could muster. </p><p>Cessair washed away another wave of Shadow sludge with a cringe. She was starting to grow tired due to how unused to fighting she was, but that didn't stop her from at least putting in the effort to get rid of the Shadows. Luce saw a bead of sweat slide down her face, and the mercenary did her best to keep from swearing. It didn't work, and she wound up saying something that she otherwise wouldn't have due to the stress of the situation. </p><p>"How long does it take to fill up a stupid hole?!" Sylvia cried out, frustration evident on her features. "We've been here for ages, and everybody else is fine by now! What are we supposed to do while we wait for all of this to blow over? Do we just sit here?!"</p><p>Luce didn't have an easy answer for that. She created another orb of energy and hurled it downwards at the Shadows. She wanted to stab Surion a dozen times over for all the trouble that he was causing, and she couldn't help but wonder if perhaps the man would elect to go down with dignity as opposed to causing further problems. She had the feeling that he wouldn't even begin to consider backing down until he was backed into a corner. His pride was his greatest foe, and if it was going to cause his downfall, Luce was more than happy to act as its agent. </p><p>"We'll just have to be patient for a while longer," Iris told her. She was starting to grow tense as well, and her metallic attacks were starting to lose their force. The rusted steel that she had started lashing out with wasn't going to be holding for much longer than it already had, and Luce could tell that it wouldn't be long before Iris' metal fully crumbled. When that happened, there wouldn't be a way for Iris to continue defending the hole in the barrier. </p><p>"I don't know how much longer I can be patient," Sylvia confessed, sounding considerably calmer than she did before. She let out a slow, measured breath before closing her eyes once again. She sent an attack downwards towards the Shadows before she started to absorb their energy. The glory of her magic was that she could fight for far longer than most others if she was given the proper supply of power from others, but Shadows didn't give her as much strength as other fighters would have. </p><p>Luce released another orb of light magic, and she let out a heavy sigh once again. She didn't know why it was taking so long to plug this hole, but she prayed that it didn't cost them the fight as a whole. There was only so much more that she was going to be able to take, and Luce could already sense that she was about hit her limit. It was just a matter of time. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>It took a while before Sophia was able to rise to her feet again after singlehandedly blocking off one of the entrances into the city, but when she was ready to go once again, there was a fire in her eyes that neither Helena nor Tanith had seen before. It went far beyond mere determination, bordering on something far more powerful. Sophia, who was normally so relaxed and soothing, had tossed all of that aside in the name of the coming battle. </p><p>"What should we do now?" Helena questioned once Sophia had been returned to stability once again. Her gaze fell to Tanith, proof that she was fully aware of the air enchantress' place as the group's unofficial tactician. "We've got to keep sending attacks over the edge of the city's wall, right? There are only so many fighters that we can spare moving in on the castle."</p><p>Tanith hesitated before nodding. She glanced around the area, attempting to put the pieces together for their next action. "I believe that you're right there... We can't put our attention towards the castle. We don't know how many mages survived the attack, and all of them are going to be gathered up in the palace waiting for the perfect chance to lash out. If we get caught cornered by too many of them, we'll be in trouble," she explained. </p><p>"So you think it's for the best that we turn our attention to the Shadows that are trying to get into the city," Sophia concluded. She gave a look up to the sky where other mages were weaving in between one another to send other spheres of energy down towards their foes. </p><p>"I believe that... To an extent, at the very least," Tanith sighed. "On one hand, we don't want to go to the castle in case we get caught by the surviving mages. On the other hand, not many of the mages have been moving in that direction. The leaths lack the advantage of range for the most part. Unless they use bows or some other sort of ranged weapon, they aren't going to be able to close the distance between themselves and the mages, and that's a recipe for disaster."</p><p>"Even if it's dangerous for us to go to the castle and get cornered by mages potentially, it's also dangerous for us to leave the fight to the leaths because of how spacious the castle is," Sophia realized. "We have to act as reinforcements to make sure that nothing bad happens."</p><p>"The castle and the remaining hole in the barrier are the two primary pieces of this fight that could easily fall apart. The Shadows swarming the other segments of the city are being taken care of as we speak, but they aren't going to stop until after we can take care of everybody who summoned them in the first place. We can only do that by going towards the castle, and we're going to have to charge through the mages hiding inside to pull that off," Tanith declared. "Even if there are risks involved, I believe it would be in our best interest to head towards the castle and see what we can accomplish in there. We can see if we find anyone else along the way, and from there, we'll do what we can to stop the mages and alleviate that issue for the sake of the leaths that are leading the charge right now."</p><p>"Sounds like a plan," Helena nodded. She took to the skies a moment later and started to streak through the area. Sophia and Tanith were hot on her trail, and their wings flapped rapidly to keep them aloft. Adrenaline was starting to sink its fangs into all three of them, but they didn't allow that to deter them. There were far more important matters than their own comfort in that moment. Eliminating the mages in the castle had to be their first priority for the sake of all the people in the city, and they were going to do everything in their power to stick to it. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Leviathan curled his wings in close around his body as he landed on a small outcrop of land near the castle. Minerva and Fromir both slid from his back as Leviathan shifted back into his bipedal shape. The shapeshifter stretched his arms above his head with a small groan as he popped his neck. His hands fell limply back to his sides after he was finished, and even after spending so long in his draconic form, he seemed to be just as ready to fight as ever, almost as if nothing was able to stop him. </p><p>Altina, December, Cerise, Nebula, and Anneliese landed on the ground nearby. They had spent quite some time trying to fend off the enemies that were threatening to take the city once again, but they had managed to escape after the hole closest to them was plugged and blocked off. After spending a few minutes longer roasting Shadows like no tomorrow, they decided to land. It wasn't a spoken decision, but it was a unanimous one. </p><p>Cerise found her wings in love with the concept of reprieve, and she rolled her shoulders backwards in an attempt to relieve the tension that was forming in her body. She let out a small sigh. "He has to be in there," she concluded. She hadn't yet openly brought up what she had witnessed regarding the concept of Surion and Faerner moving within the castle, but she was positive that both of them were waiting inside. They had set up this trap, and they intended to stick to it until the end. Even Faerner, one who was infamous for being a coward and running when anything looked to be inconvenient or out of his favor, appeared to be planning on standing his ground. </p><p>In Cerise's opinion, that was absolutely perfect. She wanted nothing more than to beat the living crap out of Faerner for his previous methods, and she figured that there was no time quite like the present for showing him what she was truly made of. </p><p>"There's a back entrance here," Minerva remarked. She moved towards the castle, summoning a sword of fire to one hand. She hadn't been able to use it before due to the prior fights being based around range, but this was a far different scenario. Minerva shoved her sword forward into the wall and pried something free. </p><p>A door rattled away from the wall a moment later, and the castle itself seemed to groan that the entrance had been dislodged. Cerise almost let out a snort that the palace, something that had once belonged to the royal family, was just as old and stubborn as Surion was. </p><p>"This is our way in," Altina remarked. She gave a brief glance over to where Cerise, Nebula, and Anneliese were standing together. Cerise had to admit that she wasn't particularly sure of when the other two girls had come to rest by her side, but she wasn't about to ask either. She was far too focused on the borderline critical gaze that Altina was giving all three of them. </p><p>"You're thinking about leaving them behind, aren't you?" Fromir questioned. He eyed Nebula in particular for a long moment before letting out a sigh and shaking her head. "As much as I want to do that... I don't think that they're going to listen. They've had a personal stake in this fight from the beginning, and even if we abandon them here, they will do what they can to find a way inside. It's just a matter of us making the choice to stay with them and protect them or let them charge in on their own."</p><p>"We should go on and bring them with us then," December agreed. She looked over to Cerise with a maternal gaze, her eyes softening when she truly looked at her adopted daughter. "Please do what you can to stay out of trouble in there. I know that you're aware of how difficult a fight this is going to be, but I want to make sure that you don't do anything reckless. There's too much ahead of you for you to try something ridiculous."</p><p>"I'll be fine," Cerise assured her, though she didn't give much other thought to her words. Luckily, December didn't ask for anything else either, and she gave a brief flicker of a smile before nodding and turning her attention to the back entrance of the castle once again. </p><p>"If you ask me, nobody was aware of this entrance even existing," Anneliese commented. She glanced to the dust that was lining the door, and she cringed as she swiped at the air with one hand. "The mages would have probably cleaned this area up if they were aware of its presence. It certainly would have offered them a bit of an extra advantage here."</p><p>"If they're going to be stupid enough to not examine their surroundings in full, then we'll just have to take advantage of that," Leviathan remarked with a shrug and his trademark lopsided grin. He reached out towards the door and threw it open in full, offering the group vision of a small, darkened room marked with another door at the opposite wall. </p><p>Minerva raised one hand, and flames began to crackle in the corners of the small space. It took Cerise a moment to register what Minerva was attempting to do, but she saw the dust burning away after a few seconds had passed, preventing any potential breathing issues that could arise from their presence in the room. Minerva allowed her hand to drop soon afterwards, and she focused her full attention on the sword in her hand. The blade began to grow a little bit brighter. </p><p>"I'll do what I can to navigate us through the castle," Leviathan announced, pressing his shoulders back in a show of quiet pride. "I like to think that I have a decent sense of direction, and it shouldn't be too hard to say how deep we are into the palace as we press forward." </p><p>Leviathan rotated one of his palms so that it was facing the sky, and an image of the castle appeared in it. The room that they were about to enter was marked at the back of the map of mahogany energy, and Leviathan deliberately zoomed in on it, clearly planning to track their motions to the best of his ability as they went deeper into the palace. He made sure that everyone had seen it as he smiled once again and gave another glance over to Minerva. </p><p>The fire witch seemed to understand what he wanted her to do, and she allowed her fiery sword to act as a beacon lighting their path forward for their inevitable trek into the palace. She was the first one to walk into the room, and everyone trailed after her without hesitation. Cerise was among those who followed Minerva, and she took up the rear of the group alongside December. Cerise spared the afternoon sky one final glance before she walked forward into the castle, unsure of what was waiting for her but knowing that it was bound to be far from pleasant. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This update is late but shhhh</p><p>-Digital</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0045"><h2>45. XLV: Coming Finality</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The invasion of the castle presses on as S.M. and Carys run into a pair of unexpected faces.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The inside of the palace was, for lack of a better term, far worse than S.M. originally anticipated. </p><p>She found herself on a balcony near the back edge of the palace, and Carys was standing beside her. S.M. braced her hands on the spot where the two doors into the nearest room met, and she grunted with exertion as she yanked them apart. Carys cringed at the noisy squeaking that echoed when the doors were rubbed the wrong way, and S.M. brushed her hands together in an attempt to get rid of the dust that had started to cling to her fingers. </p><p>The room itself was dirty, and it was almost unrecognizable. There was a bed on the far side of the room, and S.M. could see a thick layer of dust on top that made it nearly impossible to tell the sheets apart from the mattress below. She swatted at the air with one hand to try and get rid of lingering dust. Behind her, Carys sneezed. </p><p>"Why was this place abandoned anyways?" Carys questioned as she rubbed at her noise with the back of one hand. She seemed disgusted with her actions, but she didn't show any signs of it beyond surface-level horror that vanished the instant S.M. looked in her direction. </p><p>S.M. shrugged, and the motion was jerky and unfocused. "Everybody thought that it was just time for a change, I suppose," she answered. "That's what everybody would have you believe on the matter, at the very least. As far as I can tell, the leath population rose to be too much for the royal family to handle. They got upset and decided to move to a more advantageous location. Plus, the nearby cities were starting to dry up, and that left little reason to stay in this area."</p><p>"I see," Carys replied, her voice tinged with distaste. S.M. assumed that her disgust was aimed at the treatment of leaths across Igni, and she couldn't blame Carys for disliking such a subject. In fact, S.M. had hated it for as long as she could remember. Her life had always been a twisting tunnel of events that told her that she was inherently worth less for her heritage. If not for Mina constantly telling her that such phrases were nothing but crap, S.M. would have likely still suffered under the weight of her leath half as well. As it was, she did her best to embrace the part of her that was hated by so many of her relatives. Some called it spiteful or petty, but to S.M., it was perfectly deserved. </p><p>S.M. moved for the door as Carys unleashed another sneeze, and the princess scoffed at her apparent allergy to the dust that hung heavily in the room. S.M. shook her head and reached out for the knob before twisting it. She took a step out and glanced down the hallway to make sure that nobody was coming. The distant din of the leath invading force reached her ears, and S.M. realized that Briyana and Eros' forces were expanding their impact on the castle far faster than anticipated. </p><p>"Which way are we going?" Carys questioned once they had left the room behind. She gave a pointed glare in the direction of the door that they had abandoned, almost as if she was silently cursing the dust found within. </p><p>S.M. glanced back and forth before settling on the direction opposite of the leath forces. "This way," she replied before starting to walk towards her destination. They weren't going to gain anything by doubling back to see the leath forces again. If they were going to find Surion, they were going to have to make their search as broad as possible at the soonest opportunity. </p><p>Carys swallowed dryly and shook her head. "Something about this feels off to me," she told S.M., leaving no room for objection. "I think that there's something in this area. Maybe it's a person... I don't know for sure, but I don't like it at all." Carys pressed one hand against the wall, and the surface began to immediately freeze over, a clear sign of her anxiety. The icy crystals were a stark contrast from the heat that was native to Igni, and S.M. had to resist the urge to wince as she walked by. </p><p>As much as S.M. hated to admit it, she was starting to feel as if there was something wrong as well. There was simply a sinking feeling that had festered at the center of her chest that was slowly making its way down into her stomach. S.M. was almost glad that she had gotten rid of most of the energy food brought during the fight, knowing that she probably would have been sick by that point if she hadn't already burned it all off. There was something uncanny about this area that struck her as odd, and she was almost afraid of figuring out what it was. </p><p>Unfortunately, she wasn't given a choice. </p><p>S.M. and Carys rounded another corner together, and the icy barrier that Carys had created on the wall began to grow as two figures came into view. One of them was on the paler side, a man whose nose and cheeks were dotted with a fierce number of freckles. His hair was red and wildly curly, unable to find a way to settle that felt at all proper. His clothing, while fancy and elaborate in some respects, seemed as if it was on the verge of crumbling. </p><p>The woman was a different story. Her hair was a dark brown color with highlights of deep maroon, and it reached her waist in gentle waves. Her skin was darkened to a warm brown color, and her hands were braced in front of her torso. Her eyes were dark but still managed to glimmer somehow. She wore a beautiful red dress that took full advantage of the hues in her hair to truly shine, though the edges were torn and knotted due to the influence of outside forces. </p><p>S.M. immediately froze as she realized who she had come face to face with. Her eyes were wide, and Carys glanced back and forth between the trio in silent panic, trying desperately to put the pieces together but unable to find the last crucial piece of information that would link everything together. She seemed to be on the verge of asking S.M. who the newcomers were, but she was never able to form the words. </p><p>S.M. more than answered her questions for her, and her expression remained hollow and aghast for what felt like another eternity. "Mother... Father...?"</p><p>~~~~~</p><p>The back room in the castle was one of the easiest ways to get into the tunnels underneath the building, Anneliese soon learned. It had been only a small handful of minutes since the group started to move around inside of the abandoned palace, but there were already countless tunnels stretched out before them. It hadn't been discovered before due to how it was likely only accessible by its hidden back door and the tunnels below. Anneliese wondered vaguely if perhaps it was meant to act as an escape tunnel in case things ever went sour for the royal family and the surrounding nobles. </p><p>Anneliese also learned that the tunnels were nowhere near as nice as the ones that the resistance had made a home in back in the current capital. She wasn't expecting anything too fancy, but it was far darker than she imagined, and Anneliese had to force herself to focus on the places that Minerva's sword of fire could illuminate to keep from being too distracted by what dwelled in the shadows. Nobody else was openly bothered, so Anneliese kept her lips pressed tightly to keep from crying out. </p><p>A hand suddenly curled around the upper half of Anneliese's arm, and she glanced over to see that Nebula had taken hold of her. The other girl reached out with one hand and sent a small beam of energy in the general direction of a rat that had curled up in the corner of the passageway. The creature squeaked before hissing and setting off in the direction from which the group had come. Anneliese was even more determined than before to keep her eyes on the path ahead. The last thing she wanted to think about in such a dark, dingy corridor was the possibility of there being more rats. </p><p>"Lovely place they've got down here," Leviathan commented from his place at the front of the group. He nudged Fromir with his elbow, and Nebula's brother whimpered in response before glancing down to the floor and trying to pretend that he wasn't bothered by all of this. Minerva rolled her eyes, and Anneliese could have sworn that she saw the flicker of cinders against the edges of Minerva's reddened hair. She assumed that such irritation was not caused by Leviathan or Fromir, but rather simply by the circumstances that they had found themselves in. </p><p>"I get the feeling that we're going to wish that we were alone again in a little while," Altina remarked. "It's unpleasant now, but it's better than having to fight in such a small space. We're going to have to corner any enemies into a larger area if we want to defeat them, especially if one of them just so happens to be Faerner or Surion. I'm personally looking forward to showing them what my sword can do, but I know better than to start a fight that I can't win."</p><p>Anneliese slid Nebula's hand away from her arm, and she grasped at the other girl's fingers tightly. Neither one of them commented on it, but Anneliese took silent comfort in the familiar contact. They didn't know the other members of their group that well aside from Fromir, and Minerva was far from being the first person they wanted to explore with. Her hunger for combat was terrifying, and the whisper of flames at the bottom of her hair didn't help in the slightest. In fact, that only made Anneliese feel worse about all of this. </p><p>"Soon," December said, and Anneliese prayed with everything she had that December wasn't right. She squeezed Nebula's hand, and the other girl returned the gesture. Nebula zapped another energy beam in the direction of an offending rat, earning her another hiss as they turned their attention towards the journey at hand. It had only just begun, but Anneliese was already longing for the time when it would end. </p><p>~~~~~~</p><p>Helena, Tanith, and Sophia weren't met with the pleasantness of open arms when they first arrived inside of the castle. Helena's expectations had been low, but they were shattered the second that she recognized the position that they had unwittingly found themselves at the center of. </p><p>The three had decided to enter the palace through another door on the second floor. It was connected to an elaborate balcony, and Helena recognized as they got closer that it was likely the home of the king or queen acting as the current ruler. It was far more intricate than anything else that they had seen up to that point, and the difference almost made Helena feel dizzy. She was reminded all too much of the way that her parents had treated Carys while neglecting her every need, and even though Helena held no malice towards her sister for such, the whispers in her ear were still beyond unpleasant. </p><p>However, they hadn't been met with simply an empty room in all of its faded glory. Instead, five mages stared back at them. They had previously been standing together with expressions of egotistical sneers painted on their faces, and all sense of sanity in the room shattered the instant that Sophia's vines pried open the balcony's doors. Her face had gone pale in the blink of an eye, and none of them had been able to react to the five new faces before the fight had already been pushed into its opening phases. </p><p>Tanith threw up a barrier of wind to deflect the initial attack of fire, and the flames sizzled out of existence against the force of her incredible tornado. She sent another spree of breezes in the direction of the mages, and she gave a glance to Sophia and Helena, a silent plea for them to join the fight as well. They didn't have a plan, but fighting was at least the start of something. They could figure out the details later. </p><p>Helena felt a fireball whistle past her shoulder, and she ducked below the attack that came next. The mages were trying to keep their distance, and Helena understood that it was undoubtedly wisest for them to do the same. The mages weren't going to be closing the distance, and trying to take them into melee range suddenly wasn't going to help anyone involved. </p><p>Sophia reached out with one hand, and vines began to curl up from around the castle. They wormed around the balcony that they had been attached to previously before fanning out in the direction of the offending mages. Sophia's fingers curled into a fist as she caught hold of one of the mages, a woman with hair that was filled to the brim with jewels. Helena saw the stones of various colors fall from the woman's elaborate hairstyle as Sophia tossed her free of the room and out over the balcony. </p><p>Helena and Sophia turned their attention to the four mages that were still left in the darkened shadows of the room, and Tanith moved behind them before glancing out to ensure that the woman was gone. Instead, she was met with sickeningly bony fingers that curled around her wrist as the woman, now transformed in Inlustris, lashed out once again. Tanith kicked downwards, and she cringed at the unfortunate sound of her boot making contact with the woman's shoulder. </p><p>The woman shrieked in pain, and she retreated before attempting to fly upwards. Tanith sent a gale in her direction, and the woman was tossed in every direction. Her wings were unable to continue to carry her, and she was thrown out over the edge of the nearby wall. Her outline disappeared around the defensive line, and Helena looked away to keep the bile of sympathy from taking her over in the heat of the moment. </p><p>One of the mages punched at the air, and he was able to create a cluster of stones that flew at Sophia and Helena without hesitation. Helena was able to dodge each of the attacks that came her way, but Sophia was hit on the shoulder. She let out a cry of surprise as she fell to the ground, but she took advantage of her loss of flight. Sophia pressed her palm against the ground below, and the vines from before began to weave into the floor before bursting forth and taking the mages hostage between their green tendrils. Panicked shouts echoed throughout the dusty room, and the bed was destroyed by the plants that Sophia had conjured. Wood splintered through the air without hesitation, and Helena created a shield to keep the attacks from making contact with any members of her team. </p><p>Sophia let out a small breath after she was positive that she had managed to capture all of the mages in the room, and small pieces of purple powder began to float through the air. Helena was about to ask her what it was, but Tanith pulled her in close and created a sphere of wind that blocked out the dust. Helena didn't get the chance to question either one of them on their actions when she was cut off by the sound of a body hitting the floor. </p><p>Helena heard the noise repeat three more times, and Sophia pulled her hands in close to her chest. The purple dust, which had fanned out to fill the air throughout the room, came in and clung to her skin before disappearing. Tanith dropped the shield of wind, and Helena turned to Sophia with curiosity in her gaze. </p><p>"Sleeping powder," Sophia explained. "It's activated in tandem with my plants. I figured that putting them to sleep would be our best option to end the fight as quickly as possible. It doesn't work on Shadows, and I need to be able to focus in order to cast something like that, so I figured that now was as good a time as any to try it out." She shrugged her shoulders and took a step forward, taking extra care to not step on the plants that surrounded her and fanned out on the floor of the room. </p><p>Helena nodded her understanding and slowly made her way towards the door. Sophia moved her hand gently, and the plants swayed before setting down the four mages that had been knocked unconscious by her attacks. This left the trio of girls a perfect route to the door, and Helena was all too happy to walk out. She held the door for Sophia and Tanith, but neither one of them walked through immediately. Instead, they shared a brief glance, and Helena saw a rare flash of mischief festering in both of their gazes. Sophia and Tanith, the two shyest members of the Second Camaraderie, were planning something, and Helena could already tell that it wasn't going to end well for their enemies. </p><p>Tanith created a gust of wind, and the doors to the balcony swung shut immediately afterwards. Sophia snapped her fingers, prompting the plants on the ground to start swirling upwards until they had completely covered the doors, locking them with no chance of anyone escaping. She stepped out into the hallway and shut the doors behind herself before repeating the same treatment on the primary entrance to the room. Tanith grinned and held up a hand for them to exchange a high-five. Sophia accepted the gesture with a nervous smile and a blush in her cheeks. </p><p>"Are you worried about them breaking out?" Helena questioned. "Most fires should be able to burn through plants without much of an issue, and we don't know if that's going to cause problems for us later down the line..."</p><p>"Most of the natural wildlife on Igni is fireproof to cope with the extreme temperatures that the planet is capable of," Sophia explained. "If they want to find a way out of there, then they're going to have to really turn up the heat, and doing something like that is liable to making the entire castle collapse. I like to think that they're smarter than that, so they'll be distracted with trying to escape for quite a while."</p><p>"Perfect," Tanith grinned. "Now, we should try to figure out if we can find anything of note in here. The sooner that we can take care of that, the better." She allowed her wings to carry her away from the ground, and she gestured for the other two to trail after her. Both Helena and Sophia did so without a moment of objection. The desperation to resolve this issue as soon as possible hung heavy and thick in the air, but none of them dared to speak about it. For the time being, their mission was far more important, and they weren't willing to jeopardize it in any way. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Rage. </p><p>S.M.'s blood boiled as soon as she caught sight of the two people before her. It only took a moment for her fingers to curl into fists, and a passionate fire unlike anything she had ever felt before began to consume every part of her body. At first, she had been surprised, but it didn't take long for that shock to give way to complete anger. She had been ignoring this sensation for years, but there was only so much she could do before it fully snuck up on her. </p><p>"What the hell are you doing here?!" she exclaimed, trying to keep herself under control despite the blatant appeal of lashing out and giving them both everything that she had been so desperate to unleash for years on end. Ethyn and Frenz Maestre were far from being her favorite people in the world for obvious reasons. S.M.'s hatred of them had been clear as could be from the instant that she set out for Alitia. Even Carys, who was used to bouts of petty anger, seemed surprised at the full extent of S.M.'s rage, and she watched her companion with wide eyes, unable to do anything to stop herself. </p><p>Ethyn stared at S.M. in surprise before she managed to calm herself down and focus on the situation at hand. "I... I was brought here by your grandfather," she explained. "He said that it was too dangerous for us to stay in the capital, so we came here."</p><p>S.M. scoffed, and she did her best to quell her anger before she started hurling attacks at her parents without any sense of restraint. "Yeah, alright. And he just let you bring Father here with you? Even though he hates leaths and always has? Yeah, sure, I'll believe that," she muttered angrily. </p><p>"I snuck him in," Ethyn replied, trying to keep her voice even despite the shakiness that was quickly overtaking her words. "Sana, I know that you're upset with me. I understand that. I'm not trying to make you upset, but--"</p><p>"If you didn't want to upset me, then why did you let the king push you around?!" S.M. roared. "He forced you to get rid of both me and Mina because we aren't full-blooded mages! You never bothered to stand up to him no matter how much danger that put us in! We've been living on our own without any support for ages! Mina's been doing it for years, but you don't seem to care at all! Do you ever think about the consequences of your actions?!"</p><p>Ethyn was as still as a statue, trying her best to swallow back tears. "I understand why you're upset," she said softly. "I didn't want this to happen. Sana, I want us to be a family again. Please, I want you and Mina to come back to us. I never wanted you to leave Igni and never return. I was always hoping that my father would change his judgement. I want to get to know you... I've heard of all that you have accomplished, and I'm proud of you. I want to close the distance between us and find a way to fix this."</p><p>"You think that you can just patch something like this up with pretty words?" S.M. questioned, uncaring as to the volume of her voice. "It's not that easy! Mina and I have only had each other since we left home to go to Alitia. We didn't have any support from a family that should have loved us. Even if my grandfather is the one to blame for Ignite society casting us aside, that doesn't give either one of you an excuse for not doing anything to stand up for us. We could have been a family, but you didn't do a damn thing to help me or Mina when we needed it most. Pardon me for still being a bit upset that you didn't look after your children like you should have!"</p><p>"That's fair," Frenz confessed. He reached out one hand and took Ethyn's fingers in his own. "Sana, we want to be with you. I... I know how this is going to end. I'm a leath, and I didn't want any of this for us. We wanted things to be different, but... We couldn't stand up against him without risking our lives. Leaving Igni is difficult given how closely tied your mother is to the royal family."</p><p>"My father... He's the one who had Octavia killed," Ethyn told S.M., clearly longing to take a step forward but unable to bring herself to. "He decided that he wanted her gone, and he sent an assassin after her. He... He's a monster. I haven't approved of his methods in a long time, not since ages before you and Mina were born. I didn't want anything bad to happen to you, and... I spent all of this time wishing that there was more that I could do without him turning his violence against us."</p><p>S.M.'s anger began to simmer down at Ethyn's confession. "He... He was the one who murdered Octavia?" she repeated. When she was met with a nod, S.M. let out a swear under her breath. "Of course he did. He didn't want anybody to stand up against his policies, and no matter how much he liked Octavia, she was a thorn in his side. I was just the scapegoat because of how much he hates people like me. Just... Perfect." </p><p>The condescension in her voice wasn't lost on Ethyn or Frenz, and the former took a small step closer upon realizing that S.M. was beginning to calm down. "I'm not asking you to make any decisions now," she finally managed to say. "But after all of this is over... After you win this fight... I want us to try and become a family once again. I at least want to make an attempt to heal everything."</p><p>S.M. took a step back and shook her head. "I can't make that choice," she answered. "Not on my own. I need to talk to Mina about it first." She didn't say anything beyond that, not trusting herself to keep from giving in once again to the rage that boiled at her stomach and threatened to consume every part of her being. </p><p>"I'll be looking forward to seeing you again, Sana," Ethyn whispered as a sad smile stretched across her features. She didn't move any closer, but S.M. didn't need her to step forward to see the tears that were starting to slide down Ethyn's cheeks. </p><p>S.M. turned on her heel and started to walk away. "It's S.M. now," she told her mother bluntly. "Carys, let's go." She didn't bother using her wings regardless of how much faster it would have been, and the clicking of her boots against the worn floor of the castle echoed throughout the silence. </p><p>Carys gave one final glance to Ethyn and Frenz before she nodded and walked after S.M., not saying anything because she simply didn't know how to respond. Her heels touching down on the ground joined the noise of S.M.'s own shoes as they left behind the scene completely. S.M.'s expression remained unreadable, and Carys didn't bother trying to break the silence, understanding that her companion needed time to think. She was positive that their first encounter had ended in a draw rather than failure, and Carys wondered how S.M. was going to answer, assuming that she ever did offer Ethyn a response. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>"I... I think we did it."</p><p>Iris' voice caused Sylvia to glance up, and she could see that her friend was breathing heavily as she stood on the wall, looking out over the crowd of Shadows that swarmed and writhed below. She had lost hold of the rusted metal that she had previously been fighting with, and the metallic segments of her Isolis outfit had returned to her. Her rapier was in her hand as well, giving her the appearance of a true knight. </p><p>"The gap is closed," Cessair confirmed, a grin spreading across her features. "We did it! We managed to keep the Shadows out!" She threw her arms around Luce's shoulders, and the mercenary returned the exchange without any hesitation. Pure relief had blossomed in her eyes, and Sylvia found herself exhaling in bliss that Luce was so relaxed. It seemed like such a rare occasion to see Luce free of the stress that had come to be a habitual affliction for her. </p><p>"Where should we go now?" Iris asked. She held up her hands and shook her head. "I can't fight with the metal anymore from this distance. The rusted piece that I was using completely fell apart during the last wave of Shadows, so if I'm going to do anything, it'll have to be in close range... Should we try to meet up with the others?"</p><p>"How could we even do that?" Cessair questioned as she pulled away from Luce. Her hair was askew and seemed to be flying in a thousand different directions. "There are too many people around here for us to find them by sight, and it's not as if we have an easy way to track them down..."</p><p>"That's where you're wrong!" Iris cried out. She clapped her hands together, and a small device that appeared to be a palmtop computer manifested in thin air. "I've been working on this little trinket on and off since the Thanatos War. I know all of the magical signatures of our band of friends, and I should be able to scan for them in this area. That will make it easier for us to find them. I wasn't sure if it would wind up being useful, but here we are!"</p><p>Sylvia let out a sigh of gratitude and glanced out over the crowd of Shadows below. She cast one final spell and allowed the stolen energy to rejuvenate her. She certainly needed it after all the fighting that they had been doing before. </p><p>"They're all in the palace," Iris declared with a gasp. "There are three groups as far as I can tell, but they're split up within the castle. I don't know how easily we're going to be able to find them, but two of the groups are in the castle itself while a third set is in the tunnels below. We should reinforce one of the first two given that the third group also seems to have Headmistress Claudere and Headmaster Carpathia with them."</p><p>"Then we know where we're going," Luce announced. She stretched her arms above her head before allowing them to fall back down. A moment later, she was flying away, and the other three girls followed suit without a moment of hesitation, streaking through the sky until the palace came into view. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Oh boy this chapter kinda slaps</p><p>-Digital</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0046"><h2>46. XLVI: Preparation for Salvation</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The Second Camaraderie reunites as the invasion presses on. Meanwhile, Minerva and Leviathan confront Faerner beneath the palace.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Well, I think that it's safe to say that Sophia's group passed through here."</p><p>Luce cringed at the sight of the endless vines that had stretched outwards to cover an entire balcony of the Ignite palace. There was no way in hell that all of those plants had grown in such a way naturally, so she agreed that it was probably safe to assume that Sophia, Tanith, and Helena had passed through the area at some point or another. Sophia's plant manipulation certainly would have created something that held this appearance. </p><p>"There has to be a reason that they locked it up this tightly," Cessair announced anxiously, fiddling with her fingers wildly to keep her hands busy. "We shouldn't go in. I'm sure that we'll be able to figure out another way to get into the building if we do a little bit more looking around."</p><p>"I agree," Iris confirmed. She was still staring down at the palmtop device that she was using to track the other members of their group. "There are a few signals inside of there, but I don't recognize them. If I had to guess, I would say that they belong to unknown mages who were helping the king to keep the rebellion suppressed."</p><p>Luce frowned and nodded her understanding as she searched the nearby area for a way to get inside. When her gaze finally struck gold, a light smirk began to play at her lips. There was a single window that had been blown open, and Luce could see clear as could be that the lock on the glass had fallen apart long ago, leaving it at the mercy of the breeze. Luce flew towards it and braced her hands on either side, creating a thin layer of light magic to keep herself from being cut on any rogue sharp edges. She pulled them apart and widened the gap enough for herself to be able to pass through. </p><p>After Luce managed to get inside, she glanced around and gestured for the other girls to follow her. The coast was clear. If Luce had to wager a guess, she would have assumed that this window was so out of the way when compared to other sections of the castle that their foes had decided to avoid it instead of bothering to shut it off. Given how stubborn it was in staying open, Luce figured that was probably for the best. </p><p>As Iris landed, taking up the rear of the group, she hummed to herself and continued to examine her small computer. "There are three signals nearby. Given where we came in, you should be able to figure out where they are," Iris explained. She shut her laptop and started flying in the direction of their targets, gesturing for the others to follow her. Luce, Sylvia, and Cessair did so without question. </p><p>It only took three corners before Iris came to a stop, and the metal mage grinned as Sophia, Helena, and Tanith all came into view. At first, Iris nearly collided with Helena, and the two girls stumbled away from one another as soon as Helena had regained her grip on balance. When the groups recognized each other, gasps rose into the air, and Sophia's expression broke into a wide grin. </p><p>"Well, there's one group pulled together," Luce commented before turning her attention over to where Iris was standing. "We still need to meet up with Carys and S.M., and it wouldn't hurt if we found Nebula and Anneliese along the way. What do you think we should do next?"</p><p>Iris was silent for a moment as she navigated through her device's systems before settling on a plan. "Carys and S.M. are also above ground, albeit two floors below us. We can pick them up before moving underground. That's where Anneliese and Nebula are, but they're not alone, so we don't need to be quite as worried about them. Headmistress Claudere is still with them along with Headmaster Carpathia, Headmistress Latheia, December, Cerise, and Leviathan. I think that they're going to be more than alright even if it takes us a while to get to them," Iris replied. </p><p>"Looks like we have a plan then," Tanith concluded with a confident nod. She started to fly once again, and she took off down the nearby hallway. The other members of the group took to wing after her, and they continued to streak through the air as a cohesive unit in search of Carys, S.M., and anyone else that they happened to pick up along the way as they planned to kill a king. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>None of them were particularly fond of the idea of sneaking through the underground tunnels, and Minerva knew it. She kept on hearing the slight buzz of magic followed by a sharp whistle, and she knew that it was Nebula blasting another rat away from her feet. Minerva's sword flared with each new sound, ready to jump into action at the soonest indicator that there was anything amiss in the slightest. </p><p>There was something off about the tunnels, and Minerva could feel it. Her stomach twisted into a knot, and her grip tightened on her sword. The tips of her hair threatened to give way to pure flame, but she managed to keep herself under control. There was most certainly something in the area, and even if she didn't know what it was, she fully intended to find out. </p><p>"Something is here," Leviathan chimed in, and Minerva knew that her brother had come to the same conclusion that she had. They weren't alone within the tunnels. There was another presence hiding somewhere around one of these dark corners, and they had to figure out who was responsible as soon as possible if they were going to get out of this alive. </p><p>"We're going to have to split up if a smaller fight breaks out," December pointed out. "It would be pointless for all of us to spend time here when there are other things that need to be done. Unless we find the king, we have to keep pressing forward until he's dead, even if that means that we have to split up and reunite later."</p><p>"Luckily for us, we've got all sorts of powerful fighters here," Leviathan grinned, turning his head over his shoulder to admire the group behind him. He was met with primarily pensive gazes. Fromir still seemed nervous, and both December and Altina wore similarly stony expressions. Nebula and Anneliese were both distracted by the rats that threatened to sneak free of the shadows. Cerise didn't seem to care about what was happening in the slightest, and she never looked up from the ground. Leviathan didn't seem deterred by the lack of responses, and he simply shrugged before looking back ahead. </p><p>Minerva came to a halt as soon as the laughing echoed throughout the area. She could see three tunnels, and one of them had to be the source of the noise. Her gaze flickered across the open space that they had come to before her eyes narrowed when she saw Faerner propped against the wall. His arms were crossed over his chest, and he was snickering under his breath. He shook his head at the sight of the group, and he rose to his full height after giving a brief set of claps in their direction. </p><p>"I have to say, I didn't think that you were going to get this far," Faerner began. "You've done quite a bit since first arriving here, hm? You were able to effortlessly get through the first round of mage attacks, and now you're trying to press forward to defeat the king... You know, I truly don't understand how you're able to do all of this. It's clear that nobody has put any of you in your place since the War of Starlight. Perhaps that should be my job."</p><p>"What's your gambit?" Minerva questioned, taking one more step forward as her sword screamed with the promise of a battle. The instant that she had the chance, she was going to wedge her blade into his chest and wait until the life faded from his eyes. It was the least that she could do after everything that Faerner had done to ruin their previous attempts at stopping the Ignite king. </p><p>Faerner laughed and shook his head. "Oh, please. Why would I want to tell you all something like that? I'll just say that I have my own motivations for being here. Countries... Kings... None of that matters to me, you see. I'm here on Igni because it's convenient for me. I hold no loyalty to Surion or anyone else here. I knew what I wanted, and I was able to get it. Now, I'm going to get the next thing on my mind... I'm going to kill all of you, and there's nothing that you'll be able to do to stop me. Are we clear?" he asked. He let out yet another chuckle, and the eerie sound echoed through the area. </p><p>Minerva sunk into a combative stance, not taking her eyes off Faerner. "Get out of here," she instructed to the others. When she was met with silence and a shocked gasp from Anneliese, her eyes narrowed. "I can take care of him. None of you have any reason to doubt me, and you're fully aware of such a fact. Now, run away before I make you leave. Are we clear?"</p><p>The subsequent sound of footfall on stone below told Minerva that the rest of the team had already moved on. However, there was still one presence in the area, and Minerva realized that Leviathan had stayed behind. Her brother let out a laugh of his own, though it sounded far less sadistic and harsh than the sound that had left Faerner's lips. "Did you really think that I was just going to leave you here, Min?" he questioned. "If we're going to take out this clown, we're going to do it together. Consider it a bonding moment between brother and sister, eh?"</p><p>Minerva, experienced by now with the machinations of her younger brother, chose to not argue. Instead, she simply nodded and allowed her hair to burst into flames for but a brief moment, casting her somber expression in terrifying shadow. Faerner wasn't going to survive the day if she had anything to say about it, and she most certainly did. She knew that she was going to enjoy fighting him until there was nothing left but a pile of ash on the floor. </p><p>Faerner let out another chuckle, and Minerva decided that she absolutely detested the sound of his laugh. She watched as Faerner straightened his posture completely and tilted his head to either side, sending a popping sound echoing throughout the area. "You've made a mistake," he told her. He dashed forward in the blink of an eye before sending a punch in her direction. </p><p>Minerva had barely registered that Faerner had moved before she was already sliding backwards, bracing her feet against the ground below to ensure that she didn't slip off course. Her sword flashed dangerously, and she stabbed forward at the air. There was too large a distance between herself and Faerner for the blade itself to make contact with his skin, but luckily for her, that wasn't what she was aiming for at all. </p><p>A streak of burning crimson made its way through the air, and it slammed into Faerner's shoulder. The snake mage let out an angry yelp, but he was cut off when a gentle buzz could be heard nearby. Leviathan began to change shape, and Minerva glanced over her shoulder briefly to see that he had become a monster that resembled a bird. Fiery feathers stuck out across his body, and Minerva couldn't help but smirk to herself at the phoenix that her brother had become. </p><p>All it took was a single flap from Leviathan for a torrent of feathers to fly forwards, sharp and flaming in all their dangerous glory. Faerner was able to dodge most of them, and Minerva hissed in anger at his inhuman speed. There was something about him that didn't sit well in the slightest, as if his magic was something deeply revolting to her. Just the thought of his existence made her want to be sick, not that she would ever give him the satisfaction of hearing her admit it. </p><p>"You have no idea what you're dealing with," came another comment from Faerner, and he shook his head as he shrugged his shoulders once again. "If you truly do wish to cause issues of this nature though, then I suppose that I have no choice but to reciprocate... Just know that the consequences of this will be great. Remember that you asked for this, alright?"</p><p>Minerva did her best to keep from scowling, but there was only so much that she was able to prevent in her rage. Faerner's words didn't matter to her in the slightest. She was going to make sure that he went down one way or another. It was just a matter of time. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>The leath invasion force had been scattered throughout the castle for quite some time, but there hadn't been any reports back regarding Surion or Faerner's locations yet. Briyana was, to put it simply, starting to get impatient. She considered herself a generally relaxed person, but the heart of a battle was no place for her to be laidback. She was desperate to show Surion everything that she was capable of after he had perpetuated generations of harm upon the world at large. The crowd of leaths in the area had been stirring for quite some time, but nothing interested had reached her ears. The longer that the time dragged on, the more jittery she got. </p><p>"Briyana! We have him cornered!"</p><p>There was something that she found interesting. Briyana turned to see Eros standing nearby, and as far as she could tell, he had been exchanging words with another leath in their fighting force. Briyana smiled to herself and gave him a nod. The next step seemed easy as could be to determine, and she was going to follow through with it no matter what anyone else tried to do to stop her. </p><p>Briyana allowed herself to start running through the area soon afterwards, clamping her hand down on Eros' wrist to ensure that he wasn't lost in the shuffle. The crowd parted for the two of them, recognizing their commander and her right-hand without a moment of hesitation. Briyana found her heart skipping a few beats here and there in its excitement. At long last, they were close to being able to consider this over. Surion was going to go down, and she couldn't wait. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>S.M. couldn't help but swear under her breath as she and Carys found an empty hallway. A few minutes had passed since she and Carys had left behind her parents, and S.M. was starting to get frustrated that they hadn't found anything. This empty hallway was just another piece to her irritation. Why was there a dead end here of all places?</p><p>Carys walked past S.M. and approached the wall, a frown appearing on her features. She dragged her hand lazily across the surface of the wall before she let out a gasp. "There's something here!" Carys cried out. She had found a button within the wall, and it blended in well enough that neither one of them had noticed it at first. Carys pressed her hand inward, and the wall shifted accordingly. </p><p>The wall began to groan, a low, rumbling sound that was loud enough to make S.M. feel as if the earth was beginning to shake. It was disorienting to be so close to the noisy wall, and she cringed until the wall had completely parted to show a tunnel. S.M. glanced over to Carys, and the two met gazes, their eyes the picture of surprise, before taking a step forward. </p><p>"I guess that we're going to have to check out the tunnels now," Carys suggested with a shrug. "We sure as hell haven't found any other mages since we came in, so there's a chance that your grandfather is underground. This might be our best bet at tracking him down. Are you ready for this?"</p><p>"Is that even a question?" S.M. asked with a snort and a roll of her eyes. She wasn't upset at Carys in the slightest, something that the ice mage picked up on despite S.M.'s blatant anger. Carys watched as S.M. approached the hole in the wall once again. </p><p>The enchantress of ice threw out her hand, taking firm grasp of S.M.'s wrist between her fingers as her gaze hardened. "I know that something's bugging you," Carys remarked. S.M. was motionless, and her eyes shifted downwards as Carys continued. "Let me guess... This has something to do with your parents, doesn't it?"</p><p>"What else would it be?" S.M. questioned, her voice dipped in frustrated bitterness. "I don't know how they're just able to waltz into my life and pretend that all of this is fine for them. I'm not sure how I'm supposed to forgive them when they just stood back and allowed everything bad to happen to me and my sister. They allowed my grandfather to pressure them into disowning both of us, and we've been cut off since before we started to attend Alitia. As much as I want to be a family again--that's all that I've ever truly wanted--I don't know if I'm going to be able to forgive them so easily."</p><p>"At the end of the day, it's your call," Carys pointed out. "You don't have to do anything that you don't want to. It's your decision since you were the one who was wronged in the first place, and if they're going to try and find a way to work around your decision, then they're not worth your attention. I can't say that I know much about confronting crappy parents, but I know that you're going to make the choice that's best for you."</p><p>In a way, both S.M. and Carys had gone down similar paths in the past few months. They were the only two members of the Second Camaraderie to be sealed, for example. Beyond that, they had both endured parental issues, albeit in different ways. S.M. finally seeing her parents again after months of being disowned had been a shock to her system, and Carys standing up against those who raised her for the poor way they treated Helena had been a new experience as well. Times had change, and they had done the same. </p><p>S.M. didn't move for a long time, simply standing there with Carys' fingers wrapped around her wrist. When she finally did shift once again, S.M. let out a sigh and glanced over her shoulder to look at Carys with worry swimming in her eyes. "I'll just have to see, I suppose," S.M. finally managed to say. "I know that Mina is going to leave it up to me, but I can't be the only one to decide. Mina's never cared about how our parents treat her. She's just protective because she wants to look after me."</p><p>"I'm sure that you'll figure out what you want to try and do by then. Besides, it's not like you're condemning yourself to one path or the other right off the bat," Carys pointed out. "You'll be able to change your decision later on if you so decide. I'm sure that you'll be able to figure something out that works for you."</p><p>S.M. finally mustered a nod, and she glanced up to Carys with something honest and bare in her eyes. S.M. had never expected to show this side to Carys of all people, but that didn't mean that she was opposed to it in the slightest. In fact, it almost felt nice to be able to let go of all of her previous issues in this way to talk them out with Carys. </p><p>"Thanks," S.M. managed to force herself to say, and she and Carys exchanged a small smile before they turned their attention back to the nearby tunnel. Choices regarding S.M.'s family were going to have to wait until after they had defeated Surion, and S.M. was positive that she was going to enjoy taking him down. </p><p>It was what he deserved. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>"Carys and S.M. have entered the tunnel system!"</p><p>Iris' sudden cry elicited a cringe from Luce, and she instinctively began to fly faster in the direction that Iris had indicated from the start of their journey. Luce continued to lend her ear in Iris' direction as the metal mage went on to further explain the situation. </p><p>"It's a stairway from the floor that they're currently on as far as I can tell," Iris explained. "They're not at ground level yet, but we should try to catch them as soon as possible to make this as easy as we can. I can't exactly chart the layout of the tunnels since it's less easy to predict than a castle that we can see from the outside."</p><p>The air seemed to rush by a lot faster than it had before, and Luce did her best to keep from giving in completely to her frowns and worry. She prayed to all higher powers that existed that Carys and S.M. were able to stay out of trouble until her group arrived. She didn't know what she would have done if anything bad happened to them while the party was separated. </p><p>Iris let out another gasp, and Luce could feel herself getting nauseous already as soon as the sound reached her ears. "It seems that everyone has split away from Headmistress Claudere and Leviathan from that group... There's another signal down there, and it certainly isn't a mage with the fire or earth magic of Igni," Iris explained. "In fact, I think that it might be Faerner."</p><p>Helena hissed, releasing a quick, high-pitched sound from between her teeth. "Faerner..." was all she could force herself to whisper, and her rage could be felt from across the area. It was clear as could be that Helena was remembering everything that Faerner had done to cause harm to Carys, and given how caring Helena was, it was only natural that she grew upset thinking about it. Their shared fight with Faerner was a personal one. Even if Carys had escaped and been Sealed in the process, none of them would ever be able to forget the temporary terror of not knowing if she would be alright or not because of Faerner's interference and poison magic. </p><p>"We'll get rid of him," Sylvia assured her, and Helena gave the energy enchantress a curt nod over her shoulder before forcing herself through the air at even higher speeds than before. Once again, the world around the Second Camaraderie was reduced entirely to blurring messes that sprinted by before anyone could truly acknowledge what they were seeing. None of them spoke following Sylvia's promise, but Luce knew that all of them were wondering just how their companions were doing down in the tunnels below. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Nebula didn't know how they had managed to get into the city. </p><p>She swore under her breath as she unleashed another blast of darkened magic, a symptom of her Moonlight Blessing, in the direction of a horde of Shadows that was getting just a bit too close. She hadn't expected to see any Shadows in the tunnels underneath the former capital, and it was terrifying to have to duel with them in such close quarters. Anneliese and Cerise remained close to her while Fromir, December, and Altina took their positions on the front lines. Swords flashed through the dark space, and Nebula was inwardly reminded that Minerva had been the one generating light for the group before they were divided. </p><p>Cerise had taken to illuminating the area with her electricity magic, but it was clear as could be that she wasn't experienced enough with such a task to keep it up consistently. Cerise sent a jab of thunder in the direction of a Shadow that threatened to grab her arm, sending a streak of blue lightning through the area that briefly lit up the darkness. Nebula could see her next target, and she unleashed another strike of black magic to keep from being overtaken for just a short while longer. </p><p>"I can hear something nearby," Cerise suddenly declared, and Nebula knew that she would have turned to face the other girl if she could pick apart Cerise's location among the darkness that swarmed and threatened to suffocate them all. "It's not the Shadows. It sounds like something else... A much larger commotion."</p><p>"I don't know if we should be rushing into that or trying to avoid it," Fromir remarked, his voice trembling from exertion and anxiety. Nebula couldn't help but cringe at the way that his words shook. She truly didn't know how Fromir had gotten as far as he had through pure experience with combat. She never would have anticipated her brother of all people, in all of his shaky and anxious glory, to be a soldier on any level. </p><p>"We'd better make up our minds quick! They just keep coming!" Anneliese cried. She had created a wall using dark purple magic to block the hole that the Shadows were trying to move through, but it was clear that she wouldn't be able to maintain the barrier for much longer than she already had. The hole in the ground was large enough that Nebula could easily assume that one of the mages who had been hiding out in the capital city had caused this weakness in their defenses while running away from the scene. Many Ignite mages possessed earth magic, so the pieces were easy to put together when she framed it that way. </p><p>"We're going to keep moving!" Altina shouted before anyone could object. She pulled her two blades free of the nearest Shadows that she had pierced before turning on her heel and starting to sprint. Her footsteps were the primary way to identify where she had gone, and Nebula allowed the melody to be her guide as she ran as far away from the Shadows as she could manage, wondering how everything had managed to go so wrong. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Faerner was stronger than Minerva had originally anticipated, and she was beyond frustrated with his power. She ducked below another punch from him, wondering how he had managed to be so fast and strong without suffering from any major consequences. It didn't even seem humanly possible. Minerva had been in many battles before, but never before had she encountered someone with such a wide array of powers as Faerner. It was clear as could be that he wasn't just another Igni soldier, though she supposed that should have been obvious from the outset. </p><p>Leviathan unleashed a blast of fiery breath, and it flew through the air towards Faerner before the mage dodged it by ducking down low. He swept Leviathan's feet out from under him, and Minerva heard her brother grunt as his shoulder made rough contact with the ground. She could have sworn that she heard the crack of bone too, and the sound echoed in her mind. This battle had suddenly become a lot less effortless than she had been expecting it to be from the beginning. </p><p>Minerva lunged for Faerner, and she managed to pin him down against the ground with her sword resting evenly across his chest, a bar to keep him from moving. The sharpened edge of the flaming blade was close enough to his throat that the threat was there. If he did anything to step out of line, then she wouldn't hesitate to end his life. </p><p>Faerner didn't seem bothered by this in the slightest. A single bead of sweat by his temple, a byproduct of the heat Minerva's sword produced naturally, was the only sign that he was under any sort of duress. He simply laughed up at Minerva, and she found herself wanting to knock his sharpened fangs directly from his mouth. Maybe that would finally shut the obnoxious bastard up. </p><p>Faerner's entire body began to fizzle a moment later, and when Minerva blinked, he had disappeared completely. His molecules completely reshaped themselves nearby, and Minerva turned her head to see that Faerner was standing above Leviathan, a laugh already forming on his lips. </p><p>Minerva raised her sword once again, and the blast of fire that rocketed from the tip streaked through the air with an agonizing wail. Faerner managed to dodge it for the most part, but his shoulder was left burned as a result, and the smell of flesh starting to burn made Minerva's nose contort. Faerner growled in her direction, and he reached out one hand before a sword appeared in the place where his fingers had been a mere moment beforehand. With a quick kick, Faerner knocked Minerva's blade from her hand before retreating, disappearing in yet another haze of blurred atoms before he manifested again a short distance away. </p><p>Faerner rushed towards Minerva, the sword threatening to find a home directly in her stomach. The wingless witch's eyes went wide as she braced for the impact, raising her hands in a final show of defiance. </p><p>The pain never came. </p><p>The sound of a bird screaming in pain reached her ears instead, and Minerva looked down to see the sword wedged neatly in Leviathan's abdomen. He let out another shriek as the sword was removed, and his body shifted shape until he was back in human form. His eyes were barely open, and blood was already starting to pool around the core of his body. </p><p>Minerva leaned down, her eyes wide with shock and sorrow as paleness settled its way into her features. Leviathan whimpered in pain, meeting her gaze for a brief moment before his eyes fluttered shut, his breathing still labored. </p><p>When Minerva rose to her feet once again, everything about her was the paragon of terror. Her eyes were glowing with an ominous red color, and the edges of her hair were crackling with endless flames. Her entire body appeared as an inferno, and the mark of Scorpio shone without hesitation or shame through her clothing, a piercing beacon of her true power. Tears began to streak down her face, and her eyes completely gave way to the pattern of flames. </p><p>
  <em>"Run."</em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Am I the worst for that cliffhanger or what</p><p>-Digital</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0047"><h2>47. XLVII: Twins of Scorpio</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Minerva's full rage is unleashed upon Faerner.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Nebula had been running for far too long, and her lungs began to protest with each breath that she took in. She couldn't easily fly given how small the tunnels had gotten, and even if she allowed herself to fly, her feet would have dragged along the ground below. She hated how tight the spaces were all of a sudden, and Nebula decided that she would have been perfectly fine never moving into confines of this nature ever again. </p><p>Cerise had made her way to the front of the group, and her electricity magic was the only thing that continued to light up the path. She occasionally sent forks of lightning backwards that barely managed to streak through the empty space between Nebula, Anneliese, Altina, December, Fromir, and the nearby walls. Nebula heard Fromir hurling back attacks as well, but she didn't trust her aim enough to keep from hitting those who were behind her. </p><p>There was a strangely large amount of noise reaching Nebula's ears from somewhere ahead, and she couldn't help but wonder what in the world was going on. Her heart continued to pound in her chest, and Nebula almost feared that it would burst free of her ribcage and leave her screaming for breath once again. She wasn't ever going to neglect her training of the physical variety again after all of this. </p><p>The crowd appeared to be full of leaths, and Nebula could see that various torches had been lit around an open space within the tunnels. This was a dead end as far as she could tell, and there weren't any other tunnels that led out of the arena of sorts that had been created. Only three entrances were scattered around the area, and all of them were behind the line of leath defensive forces. One was the passage that Nebula herself had come through, another was bringing in new leath fighters, and the final one was abandoned and empty. Nebula glanced back over her shoulder once again, and she saw that the thrashing Shadows from behind had come closer. </p><p>Fromir was quick to create a defensive wall in the face of them, and he threw up a barrier of black magic that kept them at bay. The darkness in the area began to writhe at his command, and a shield formed across the tunnel that Nebula and her group had just come through. She let out a heavy breath of relief, and she finally allowed herself a moment to catch herself once again. That had been nothing short of exhausting, and she knew that she never wanted to go through anything like that again.</p><p>It was only after Nebula managed to force air back into her lungs that she realized what was happening around her. The leath forces were all pressing closer to a small group that was left to back against the far wall in panic. Nebula frowned and tried to pick out familiar figures among the crowd, but she found nothing. For a brief moment, Nebula could have sworn that she saw Caius among the crowd, but it was impossible to say if he was there since his outline shifted and vanished a moment later. </p><p>Nebula heard an unholy shuffling sound, and every part of her body went tense when she realized that Shadows were there. She glanced back to the hole that Fromir had plugged and recognized that the creatures couldn't have been coming through that area given how firmly it was closed off from the rest of the cave. The Shadows were undoubtedly located elsewhere. </p><p>Nebula forced her wings to carry her off the ground, and she realized that the ceiling was high enough to support flight. She could see that there was a large group of Shadows curled around one specific person, and a gasp left her lips as her eyes went wide. </p><p>Surion was there, and he had been cornered. </p><p>It took only a few moments for Nebula to rationalize how all of this had come to be, and she let out a sigh of relief that he had been found. It wasn't going to be easy to defeat him given how much raw strength he possessed on top of the ability to summon more Shadows. He had likely been hiding in the tunnels beneath the castle, keeping close enough to the Shadows to continue commanding them, but when the leaths breached the palace, they started searching. It was the explanation that made most sense to Nebula, and she was more than willing to accept it as reality. </p><p>Nebula could see that the nearby leath forces were starting to get tired, and a frown poisoned her features as she realized what she had to do. If she was going to save the leaths from the onslaught of Shadows, she was going to have to fight herself. At least she was already flying, and that took the strain off her legs for a few moments. She was still nothing short of exhausted, but it was better than the alternative. </p><p>Nebula took in a slow, careful breath as she braced herself for what was to come. The world seemed to scream at her for a long moment as she tried to get herself ready for the next step of the conquest of the former capital. Defeating the Shadows and killing Surion was the most important part of this ordeal, and Nebula was determined to follow through with it. </p><p>And so, she began to fight once again. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Faerner's eyes flickered with fear as soon as he saw that Minerva meant business. For the first time, he actually seemed to be terrified, and he took a step back, reverting to his cowardly ways as one would have expected him to given previous history. </p><p>That didn't stop Minerva from closing the distance between them in the blink of an eye, and her eyes went shaded and dark with the reflection of angry flames. The tips of her hair created an inferno by this point, and the red edges to her hair were particularly notable. In old pictures, her hair had been pitch black, the color it had been at birth. Times had changed since then though, and Minerva's magic, in all of its volatile glory, would lash out if anyone crossed the line that she had created regarding her rage. The red tips to her hair were caused because of her fiery temper, and she intended to make sure that Faerner knew it. </p><p>Minerva's sword flashed as she slashed it through the air in Faerner's direction. He managed to dodge it by ducking downwards, but all it took was one fluid motion for Minerva to knock him from his feet. She jumped into the air before kicking his shoulder and flipping into a crouching position. Fromir stumbled and fell to his knees, all air knocked from his lungs. </p><p>Minerva's hand, the one that wasn't holding her flaming blade, surged forward before Faerner had a chance to see it coming. Her fingers clamped down firmly on his neck, and Faerner's eyes bulged with surprise as his air supply was suddenly diminished. Minerva began to squeeze, and she leaned in closer. </p><p>"You will die for what you have done," Minerva whispered, her voice rough and filled with an unspeakable rage that would have terrified even the most powerful of warriors. Somehow, the quiet was even more terrifying than her potential for screaming, and it was as if the world itself was falling to her wishes, understanding that she was its new mistress. Igni no longer belonged to Surion for that moment; it was all under the heel of Minerva Claudere, and she was going to use to to kill Faerner without any shreds of mercy. </p><p>Faerner struggled and thrashed against her grasp, but he was only able to free himself when Minerva pulled away her hand from his throat and surged towards his chest with her sword. Faerner's eyes were still as wide as could be, and he couldn't seem to calm his nerves when the room fell to silence aside from the crackling of flames and Leviathan's labored breathing. </p><p>Minerva pulled the sword away soon afterwards, and the injury left in Faerner's chest was already beginning to seep blood. It had barely missed his heart, but his ribcage still didn't look quite right due to Minerva's brutality. Faerner stumbled backwards, his eyes unseeing and terrified. </p><p>"I... I concede..." Faerner whispered. Blood began to spill down from the edge of his lips, and his face twisted into a sadistic snarl directed at Minerva alone. "One day... I will have my revenge..." </p><p>His threats of violence meant little before the image of Minerva though. She was on the verge of becoming made of fire, and she was a flame of horror and violence at the center of the tunnel. She glowed with the promise of bloodshed, and Faerner wouldn't have been able to do anything to her no matter how much he wanted to, especially given his weakened state. </p><p>After all, this was the full power of the wingless witch, and he had no idea who he was up against. </p><p>Faerner held one hand to his chest as he snapped his fingers together. A portal appeared soon afterwards, and he vanished into nothingness. Minerva scoffed at the place where he had been before the fire around her began to finally diminish into calmness. Her hair remained a flickering echo of its previous form, and her eyes were as dark and shaded as they had been before, leaving a haunting image that nobody would ever be able to forget. </p><p>Minerva's sword fell to the earth below, and its flames began to fade into nothingness as her eyes softened. She collapsed to her knees beside Leviathan, and she began to shift him so that he was positioned in her lap. "Leviathan, speak to me," she whispered to him. </p><p>Leviathan's eyes gleamed with an exhausted sense of pride that struck Minerva terrified. "I... I'm fine..." he choked out, trying to force a smile despite it being so clear that he was lying. "I... I'm glad you were able to g-get him..."</p><p>Minerva curled one hand around his face, and the fire on her hair faded into nothing more than a memory. She closed her eyes, and tears began to stream down her cheeks. "I'm not going to lose you after we just found each other again," Minerva told him desperately. "Leviathan, I--"</p><p>She was cut off when Leviathan let out a sudden choking cough, and Minerva eyed his injury once again. It was deep, and Minerva's experience with healing wouldn't be enough to save him no matter how much she tried. She wasn't anywhere near as talented as Zylphia was when it came to helping others recover from their injuries, and she suddenly yearned for her friend's presence. She would have done anything to save her brother's life. </p><p>Minerva could feel a tingling sensation on the back of her left shoulder, and she glanced to see what it was. The mark of Scorpio was shining confidently through her clothing, spreading outwards with a light that was almost hypnotizing. The world seemed to slow down, and peace overwhelmed her despite the terrible situation she was being faced with. </p><p>Much to Minerva's surprise, Leviathan appeared to be going through much the same thing, and his eyes glazed over with wonder as he watched red light slowly spread outwards from Minerva's body. The glow created a constellation that resembled a pair of wings from Minerva's spine, and they folded inwards around both Minerva and Leviathan. Minerva could feel the bitter sting at the sight of wings that would have been hers had they not been taken away so many years ago.</p><p>Still, none of that mattered as she allowed the feeling of warmth to flood through her body. Other threads of red light spread outwards, and she and Leviathan were wrapped at the center of a beautiful chrysalis of crimson and scarlet strings that yearned for their protection. Minerva's internal flames began to finally die down, understanding true peace for the first time in many years. Nothing seemed to be real aside from Leviathan's blood seeping through his shirt. </p><p>Minerva continued to watch as the light around them spread, and she heard Leviathan gasp from beneath her grasp. She glanced down to see that there was a string of red slowly weaving its way up Leviathan's injury, healing the wide gash that had been left behind by Faerner's blade. The memory of the wound remained, and Leviathan's blood still stained his shirt and the ground below, but the injury itself was beginning to disappear. </p><p>Minerva could still feel the gentle vibrating sensation on the back of her shoulder, and she watched as the threads of light that had created a set of wings around them both flew away from her back. She missed the warming sensation as soon as it was gone, but she didn't phrase her grievances with such as the symbol of Scorpio was carved into the air. Minerva and Leviathan both watched it with confused, weary gazes before the light moved towards the shapeshifter. </p><p>Leviathan's right shoulder wound up being the home of the marking, and Minerva watched as the red strings stitched the pattern of Scorpio into his back. It was in the position that perfectly opposed Minerva's own marking, and she could feel a strange connection to her brother that she had never before experienced. </p><p>The final thread that lived in the air spun around both Minerva and Leviathan's heads before anchoring itself between them. One end of the string found a home in the center of Minerva's chest, and the other side did the same in Leviathan's torso. The string pulled itself taut before disappearing. </p><p>Minerva felt a dull throbbing pain in her side soon afterwards, and she realized that she was feeling the pull in the same place that Leviathan had been stabbed in. She glanced down and pulled the fabric of her shirt up just enough to show the outline of a scar where Leviathan's injury was on his body. She could see the same shape on his body in the hole of his shirt that Faerner's attack had left behind. </p><p>Minerva and Leviathan met gazes at this, and they both seemed to understand what had happened. Minerva had used the power of her Sealing to anchor their souls together. It had saved Leviathan's life and given him some of her strength from being the Sealed One of Scorpio. Their spirits would be connected in life and death from that point forward. </p><p>But none of that mattered aside from the fact that Leviathan was alive. Minerva let out a choked sob before she pulled Leviathan in close, and he let out a small nervous laugh before returning the gesture. He was unable to force himself to offer a snarky comment, too relieved and overjoyed to be alive in that moment. All that they cared about was being together. </p><p>"Looks like things aren't as different as I thought," Leviathan commented with a light smile once he could finally force himself to speak. His eyes remained closed as he continued to cling to his sister for dear life, relieved with the breaths that she had offered him. </p><p>Minerva let out a sobering laugh of her own but didn't respond beyond that. Neither one of them moved or spoke for a long time, knowing that Faerner wasn't going to be back to cause problems anytime soon. Even if he had gotten away, the wound to his chest was still severe, and there was a chance that he wouldn't even survive to the end of the day. Minerva never admitted how much she desperately wished that was true, but part of her said that she didn't have to. Leviathan already understood. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Luce was hardly surprised by the time that Carys and S.M. came into view, and she was beyond relieved that Iris' tracking system had led them in the right direction. She let out a shout of their names before waving one hand above her head as she landed on the ground. The tunnels were far more open the closer that they got to the upper floors of the castle, and that made it easy for all of the members of her group to streak through the halls without any worries of bumping into each other or anything else that could have interfered with their flight. </p><p>Carys was the first one to notice that the group was there, and her face broke out into a smile as she dashed closer. "There you are!" Carys cried out before sighing in gratitude. "We have a lot to do still. It's good to see that you're all here, but I think that there are still Shadows outside."</p><p>Iris nodded and sighed. "You're right," she murmured. "I don't know how we're supposed to stop the Shadows until we can find out where Surion is... But I do have some good news for you. As far as I can tell, we're getting closer to being able to meet up with Anneliese and Nebula again. I can see their signals, and it should be easy for us to find them if we just keep pushing on down this path."</p><p>"Perfect," Luce said simply. She glanced around to the rest of the group and saw that the other members of her team were starting to feel the pull of exhaustion, and Cessair in particular made it clear that she wasn't yet cut out for this intense activity. She was even paler than usual, and Luce couldn't help but wince as the water enchantress leaned up against the side of the hallway and let out yet another heavy breath. </p><p>"Then let's go and find them," Tanith declared solemnly. "Lead the way Iris." She had risen into the air once again, and her eyes gleamed with violet. Her voice was even and stoic despite her regularly anxious demeanor, and she didn't even hesitate when Iris began to fly in the direction of their destination once again. </p><p>Luce nodded to herself before she trailed after them. There was still a lot for them to take care of, and she was going to do everything in her power to bring it to a close as soon as she had the chance to do so.</p><p>~~~~~</p><p>River allowed herself to touch down on the outer wall of the former capital, and a sigh left their lips as they were given the chance to relax briefly. Every part of their body was hurting somehow, and River knew that they was pushing themselves too far. Their magic had never been easy to control in the first place, but it somehow seemed to be hurting them even more than usual because of how difficult the current fight was. </p><p>They were far from being the only one in the area, though and Zylphia landed beside them before releasing yet another wide strike of electric magic. River could see how pinched her expression was, and they tried to not cringe openly at how blatantly concerned she was. River had learned during their time at Sacred Heart that Zylphia was a protective person. Everyone knew it, and they were seeing it firsthand in the heart of the battle on Igni. </p><p>The others who found their way to the tower as well were Jin and Arisu. Jin was far from being the best when it came to fighting, and River could still see the nervous quirk of his smile out of the corner of their gaze. They glanced towards the ground when he entered their peripheral field of vision, wondering if there was even a way to keep him from growing too upset because of what was happening. </p><p>Arisu unleashed another blast of shockwaves in the direction of the Shadows, and River could hear the percussive sound of the magic making contact with a thousand creatures made of sludge. They cringed, but they were cut off when Arisu let out a gasp. Silence followed, and River forced themselves to their feet despite their drooping wings and general sensations of pain. </p><p>The Shadows were dropping like flies, suddenly disappearing from sight as if they had never been there in the first place. River found themselves blinking rapidly just to make sure that what they were seeing was true. Sure enough, the Shadows were vanishing, and the remaining forces seemed significantly less daunting. </p><p>"One of the people summoning the Shadows must have been taken out," Jin concluded, and his relieved smile was infectious as he glanced over to Arisu, River, and Zylphia. "Thank Starlight for that one. I don't know how much more we would have been able to do, if I'm being perfectly honest." He laughed nervously, and River couldn't help but wonder how he had managed to endure the War of Starlight if he was truly as poor in combat as he appeared to be at a first glance. </p><p>"We're going to have to count that as a blessing, but we can't get too caught up in it all," Zylphia announced to the small group on the edge of the outer wall. "There are still other Shadows streaming in, and as far as I can tell, there's something going on below us. Look."</p><p>Zylphia pointed to the space where the base of the wall met the ground below, and River forced their eyes to focus in on what she was pointing out. There were many Shadows attempting, and succeeding, for that matter, to swarm in through a hole in the ground. River let out a gasp, and they sent an explosive blast of ash to the place where the Shadows were trying to break through their defensive line. Sludge flew everywhere as they were expecting, but the Shadows continued to try and worm their way through the position in question. </p><p>"Where are they going?" Jin questioned, his voice wavering from anxiety. River opened their mouth to answer but found that they actually didn't know. As far as they could tell, there weren't any Shadows within the city itself. They would have heard the screams of alarm if the Shadows managed to break through the defensive wall that they had set up. </p><p>"The tunnels beneath the city, if I had to guess," Zylphia replied simply. "That would explain why nobody has seen them on this side of the barrier yet. They're underneath us at the moment, and it's only a matter of time before they either burst through the surface of the city or spill out into the castle itself."</p><p>"Then let's try and stop them as much as we can!" Arisu cried out. "We have ranged magic, so let's just plug up that gap before anything can happen where they break through on the other side. At the very least, that'll limit what the people in the tunnels have to put up with."</p><p>River nodded their understanding, and they did their best to force themselves to keep moving forward with the battle at hand. They absolutely hated the situation that they had found themselves in, but it wasn't as if they could do anything to stop it. Their body was throbbing with pain, and River made a mental note to try and find Carys after the fight ended to get a bit of contact with her icy skin to soothe flames within. Until that time arrived though, they had a lot to take care of, and the battle wasn't exactly going to win itself, so they got started with plugging the hole to the inside of the city alongside Zylphia, Jin, and Arisu. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Briyana was an intimidating presence naturally, and she thundered her way through the underground tunnels with Eros at her side. He found himself struggling to keep up with her despite having longer legs, but her wings certainly made it easier for her to weave through the crowds. Their hands had been locked firmly with one another's for quite some time as a way of staying grounded against the chaos that surrounded them. </p><p>When Briyana and Eros finally came to a stop, her face was set in such a stony expression that Eros could have sworn that a shiver ran up his spine. Eros wasn't scared of many things. In fact, he wouldn't even say that he was afraid of the gods themselves. Briyana, however, was one who knew how to get what she wanted, and in this situation, she wasn't going to back down until she had accomplished her goal. It was frightening in a way, and Eros was just glad that he was on her side instead of fighting against her. </p><p>The arena beneath the ground was nothing more than chaos, and it was a branching point that split off in three directions with a circular region between them. There was a line of leaths in a ring near the wall, and Eros could already tell who was at the center of the group. His axe sparked to life once again, and he wondered how incredible it would be to have Surion's blood stain the blade of his weapon. </p><p>The Shadows that were fighting the leaths were far stronger than Eros had expected. Normally, Shadows were easily to blast through by anyone who had a decent grasp on a weapon or knew how to fire off a strong attack with magic. These Shadows, however, were far more defensive than Eros had even known possible, and the leath guard was already with them significantly. </p><p>Eros glanced over and saw that there was another wall being constructed by a group of mages, and they were huddled around one of the small entrances to the other tunnels. Eros could already guess what they were dealing with, and the sound of Shadows imploding a moment later confirmed his suspicions. Eros let out a sigh and glanced over to Briyana, waiting for her to offer her orders. She was one of very few people who Eros was willing to take orders from, and judging by the look in her eyes, Briyana was already starting to come up with a strategy for both of them to carry out. </p><p>"We have to rush towards Surion," Briyana replied a moment later, and Eros found himself smiling at her words. He had been hoping she would say that. "We can get rid of the Shadows sooner if we can eliminate him as soon as possible. I know that the line of Shadows is difficult to break through, but we're going to find a way. We've come this far, after all."</p><p>Eros nodded his understanding, and he heard a shrill whistle come from Briyana's direction as the leath crowd began to part. They knew what the command meant, and Eros watched as a path was opened at the center of the leath defensive line, just wide enough for him to pass through alongside Briyana. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Caius unleash a quick slash with a dagger against a group of Shadows, shredding them to pieces before he slinked back into the Shadows as if he had never been there in the first place. </p><p>Eros took in a deep breath and swung his axe with as much force as he could muster without hurting those around him. He could feel the end arriving already, and the concept of freedom pelted his mind before he knew what to do about it. Everything was going to be perfect and safe soon enough, and he couldn't wait for it. </p><p>Briyana's weapons began to flicker as well, and Eros watched as she retreated behind him to unleash a barrage of arrows easily. Eros smiled and lashed out with his axe once again. Briyana could feel the tug of salvation as well, and they were going to embrace it together before day's end. Every leath on Igni was finally going to be freed, and there was nothing Surion would be able to do about it. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>The Keeper of Moonlight was standing in the darkened trees far from the borders of the former capital. They could see the outline of the walls on the horizon, but aside from that, no details rose to their gaze. They scoffed and shook their head before turning away, their back facing the outer walls of the city. "How pathetic," the Keeper of Moonlight muttered, taking a few steps forward. The city was nothing more than an afterthought to them in that moment. Surion and Faerner had failed him, and they didn't care in the slightest what came next. </p><p>The deal had been to try and eliminate those who could have been problematic to their future plans, and Surion had been an easy way to get such things taken care of. The Keeper of Moonlight was tired of dealing with those who they knew were going to get in their way when they began to put their plans into action, and Surion's goals aligned with theirs perfectly. It was only natural that the Keeper of Moonlight use their skills to lash out alongside Surion. </p><p>But Surion had failed them. The Shadows that surrounded the city were starting to fall away, and the Keeper of Moonlight knew that they were going to be gone soon enough. The Keeper of Moonlight had offered as much help as they could muster, but there wasn't a point to it anymore. Surion was going to lose this war and die in the process. The Keeper of Moonlight could already tell. Faerner had already disappeared, and his Shadow forces had disappeared as a result. The war was lost, and the Keeper of Moonlight understood such. </p><p>They shook their head as they created a portal in the air in front of themselves. Nothing mattered regarding the fight at hand. The Keeper of Moonlight was gone in the blink of an eye, and their Shadow forces disappeared along with them. The battle had been lost, but this would not be the last time that they returned. </p><p>One day, they would carry out their goals, and the world would see the true extent of their power. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I love Minerva and Leviathan and you should too</p><p>-Digital</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0048"><h2>48. XLVIII: Aries</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The Sealed One of Aries appears after Surion is cornered by the Second Camaraderie, Eros, and Briyana.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Briyana and Eros stalked towards Surion after they had managed to open a path through the Shadows. The leaths around them continued to fight with incredible ferocity, and Briyana commended them for it silently. However, she was going to end the battle once and for all, and that involved sticking her sword into some crucial part of Surion's body and watching the life fade from his eyes. After all of the suffering that he had caused the leaths of Igni, this was the least that she could do. It felt like perfect justice to her, and she was already looking forward to it. </p><p>Surion glared in her direction as she grew closer. "Who are you?" he questioned. There was a tension to his body that Briyana had to admit that she welcomed. After everything that he had done, he was finally being left at a disadvantaged position where he would be forced to accept the power of his foes. He was weak by comparison, and that was just the way that Briyana liked it after all that he had done to make her and so many others plain miserable. </p><p>"My name is Briyana Frazier, and I am the agent of your demise," Briyana replied. She had put her bow away, and the weapon in her hand was a magnificent blade. Eros stood at her side with flames dancing across the surface of his axe. It was impressive to Briyana that Eros had managed to contain his anger for so long once his target was in sight, but she knew better than to divert attention from the fight and tell him such a thing. </p><p>Surion snarled in her direction before he took a step backwards, pressing his back against the nearby wall. The earth began to shift soon enough, and Briyana recognized what he was doing before he could come close to acting it out. The wall parted to show that she was right, and Surion took off running as he created a new tunnel in front of himself. It was far from being an ideal escape route, but it wasn't as if that was going to stop him. Surion was reaching his final hour, and desperate adrenaline was starting to settle in. He wouldn't be able to escape as far as Briyana was concerned. </p><p>She wasn't the only one who continued to chase Surion deeper into the underground tunnel system. Eros was at her side, and Briyana could hear distantly that another few sets of footsteps were raining on the ground. She couldn't bring herself to care. They weren't Shadows, and that was all that mattered. Reinforcements could have been helpful. Surion was growing desperate, and he had finally been cornered, but that didn't mean that the ensuing battle was going to be a walk in the park. </p><p>In truth, the people who were trailing after her were none other than Nebula, Anneliese, and Cerise. Nebula had noticed the path opening behind Surion while flying in the area earlier, and Anneliese had flown with her over the crowd of Shadows to breach the tunnel. Cerise had done the same, though she lacked the instinct of defensiveness that Anneliese and Nebula had for one another. Instead, she was merely drawn in by her hatred of Surion. </p><p>Briyana allowed the girls to continue trailing after her, understanding that telling them to turn back would be pointless when there weren't any other reinforcements coming as far as she could tell. They wouldn't be able to spare many extra hands because of the Shadow infiltration taking place in the underground arena. This was as much as Briyana was going to get unless some stroke of a miracle happened to enter her life as she continued to chase Surion through the endless tunnels beneath the city. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>It was less of a miracle and more a stroke of luck. </p><p>Iris had been staring firmly down at her palmtop computer, trying to figure out where Nebula and Anneliese were going. The girls had suddenly changed course to start running directly towards them, and Iris frowned to herself. She had stopped moving when it appeared that Nebula and Anneliese were moving in the direction of a dead-end that would coincidentally lead directly into the hallway that she and the other members of her group were passing through. Everyone followed her lead, and Iris held up her hand to make sure that they didn't do anything rowdy. </p><p>The wall collapsed before Iris had a chance to respond, and she prompted her device to disappear into thin air as a way of making sure that it wasn't destroyed by the debris that had started to fly in every direction. Iris threw up her arms to defend her head, and the other girls around her did the same. Carys made a shield of ice that barely managed to keep Iris from being struck on the arm by a particularly sharp rock. The two girls shared a brief nod before they turned their attention back to the new hole in the wall. </p><p>The dust began to settle, and Iris let out a gasp when she realized who it was that was responsible for such an action. Surion's silhouette could be seen in the darkness of the tunnels, and panic flashed across his features as soon as he realized that he had been cornered. Iris could tell that he was flustered because of something, but she wasn't sure of the exact cause until after she had seen another set of figures appear in the hallway behind Surion. </p><p>The first two that Iris noticed were Briyana and Eros. After that, Nebula, Anneliese, and Cerise came into view. Surion held up his hands as a way of making it appear that he surrendered, but Iris wasn't buying it for a second. He wasn't the type to back down, especially not when he was still holding to the belief that he had a chance to win the fight. He let out a small snarl, and Briyana raised her sword in his direction. </p><p>"I hope you understand now that this is the last day you will draw breath in the land of the living," Briyana told him evenly, her voice as malicious as it was uncaring. Her blade glittered in the firelight that was being held up by Helena's thin fingers. </p><p>Surion glanced around the area before his eyes finally settled on Eros and Cerise. A sneer appeared on his face, but he didn't make any motions to fight back. "I can't believe that you betrayed me after everything that I did for you," Surion told the two, his voice not at all wanting for condescension. </p><p>"You wanted to have me killed as soon as you realized that I was a leath!" Eros cried out angrily, and the flames on his axe offered yet another gleaming light for Briyana's sword. "Did you forget that little detail?! That doesn't even mention all of the people that you've had killed either directly or otherwise because of your prejudices!"</p><p>"You kidnapped me from my family and molded me into a perfect soldier," Cerise reminded Surion, keeping her voice far more even than Eros. "Then again, I suppose that falls into the same category of you simply changing the truth so that it can fit your best interests. It's exactly what you did with the death of the princess."</p><p>"Only you would want to have her killed," Briyana said next. "You ordered Faerner to go after her, didn't you? That's what happened to her. She was poisoned by his magic and then killed. You tried to pin it off on someone, very conveniently one of your only relatives with leath blood, so that nobody would suspect your involvement. You can't hide from a truth like that, you monster."</p><p>Iris growled in Surion's direction at Briyana's words. It made a striking amount of sense, and she detested how accurate Briyana likely was. Of course Surion would want something like that to happen. He was nothing short of terrible, and Surion wasn't above attacking his family members to fit his own goals. He had done it with S.M. and Mina, and Octavia was simply another body to add to the endless pile of those who died to further his own twisted ambitions. </p><p>"She just wanted to change things," S.M. murmured, her voice overwhelmed with sudden sorrow. "Then again, I suppose she wouldn't have had to fight for change behind your back if you weren't like this to begin with. You have nothing of value inside, so you turn to other methods of making yourself seem superior. Nothing that anyone can say or do will ever change your mind. You made your damn choice, and now, you have to live with it."</p><p>"Octavia shouldn't have gone behind my back to try and change the world that I did so much to create," Surion said next, clearly able to sense that everyone was beyond upset with him. "If she wanted to keep her life, then she shouldn't have--"</p><p>A beam of confident electricity shattered the air, and blue lightning slammed into the air just over Surion's shoulder, singing the edge of his whitening hair. "What was that?" Cerise questioned, slowly lowering her raised hand. "Everything that you have done is nothing short of disgusting. You used all of us as a way of moving towards your sense of conquest. Eros and December hid their leath heritages from you because you would have had them killed for daring to exist in the same space as you if you knew. You had me kidnapped and used to fight back against those who I should have been defending from the date of my birth. River endured inhuman training to ensure that they were strong enough to stand up to your standards. Arisu was only taken in off the streets of Igni because you saw a chance to gain something from them. What do you have to say for yourself?"</p><p>Surion was silent for a long moment after Cerise finished speaking, and Iris wondered if he was even going to try and mount a defense. Surion's hands, which had previously been splayed and open, began to clench into a fist. Iris couldn't help but smile as she realized that he was finally starting to give up. He was surrounded, and there was no way that he was going to find a way to get out of this fight alive. </p><p>Still, that didn't stop him from putting up a fight. Surion slammed one fist into the wall behind him, and a pillar of earth rose up from the ground in front of Briyana, threatening to knock her sword from her hand. She pulled back just in time, and she ducked down when Eros flashed his axe over her head to cut the column of stone in half. Flames crackled on the surface of the broken earth, and Briyana jumped over the shattered column, pressing one hand against a place not covered with flames to vault herself forward. Nebula, Anneliese, and Cerise all came closer as well, and Anneliese created a barrier to keep Surion from running back the way that he came. </p><p>At Anneliese's actions, Carys and Tanith got to work as well, forging shields that blocked off both ends of the passageway that their group had been traveling through. Their elements were specifically chosen because Surion wouldn't be able to break through them the way that he would have been able to do with S.M.'s earth magic or Helena's flames. Once they were finished, they turned back to the fight at hand. </p><p>Cerise lunched towards Surion, and her hand glittered bright white as she unleashed a powerful orb straight into his chest. Surion was unable to dodge the attack in time, and he was sent slamming backwards into the ice wall that Carys had created. The top layer of ice began to melt on contact due to his natural affinity for fire magic, and Surion glanced up at Cerise with a snarl of pure, unfiltered rage on his face. The air had been knocked from his lungs by the sheer force of the attack, so all he could do was glare at her with as much anger as he could muster. </p><p>"You said that I should be thankful to you for all that you've done for me," Cerise began to say as she walked towards him. Her hands shone with pale pearly white and electric blue illumination. "What have you done for me, hm? Changed my life for the worse? Nearly gotten me killed more times than I can count? Sent me off to fight your wars because you don't know how to see the perspective of those who don't hate without any sense of rhyme or reason?"</p><p>Surion forced himself to his feet once he had managed to force some oxygen back into his lungs. "The leaths aren't mages," he muttered angrily. "They aren't deserving of this universe. It was made specifically for mages. Starlight and Moonlight left behind Earth because they wanted to help the mages who were being hated by the humans there. Leaths are as good as human, and nothing good has ever come of the people who originated from Earth."</p><p>Iris could practically hear Cerise's frustrated eye roll from her place across the room. "You can't be serious," Cerise scoffed. "That's all that you have to say? You hate them for not being magical enough as far as your standards are concerned? Of course... It's a pathetic excuse to bypass the boundaries of bigotry, but it isn't going to work for me. Leaths are just as deserving of life and happiness as either one of us is. We aren't hated here the way that we were on Earth. Leaths and mages alike can live in harmony here. Mages escaped persecution by coming here with Starlight and Moonlight generations ago, but now... You're doing the same thing to leaths that humans did to mages back in the day."</p><p>Surion sent out a blast of fire in Cerise's direction, but she easily stepped to the side and avoided the attack. The flames hit the overhead wall and splintered out of existence on impact, leaving behind little more than a small singe against the surface of the earth. Cerise shook her head once again, and she sent out yet another attack towards Surion. He rolled out of the way, but Cerise didn't seem deterred in the slightest, and her rage only seemed to grow with his actions. </p><p>"You are a pathetic, sad little man," Cerise told Surion simply. "The only people who follow you out of an assumed sense of do so out of their own convenience. Others are forced into submission because of their fear of you, but that won't ever be an issue again. Once the day draws to a close, you will be dead, and all of the leaths who suffered under your rule will rejoice the fact that you are gone. That much I can consider you a promise from one of the many, many people you hurt in your pursuit of power and conquest. You deserve everything that's coming to you and more."</p><p>Iris could feel the energy buzzing in the air before she saw the shift in atmosphere. Her gaze found Cerise instinctively, and a moment later, light began to flash in the air around the girl's shoulder. Iris held up her arms to block out the sudden explosion of illumination, and she could see the others doing the same out of the corner of her vision. Surion was trying to hide from the light as well, but there was only so much that he could do given the situation. He was still at a disadvantage, and Iris could see it in the brief flash of fear across his face before he was completely consumed by the glow of light. </p><p>The illumination began to consolidate a moment later, and it started to cling to the skin on the back of Cerise's hand. Iris watched the heart of the inferno, and a gasp left her lips as she realized what was happening. A marking appeared on Cerise's skin, and it shifted into brightness before starting to fade away. Even after the light had left the air behind, the adrenaline that had been in the space between them all remained, its kiss planted firmly inside of Iris' heart. She couldn't find a way to calm herself down no matter what she tried. </p><p>"That's the marking of Aries!" Tanith cried out from her place somewhere behind Iris. "Wait a moment though... If she has that symbol, then does that mean that...?" Tanith never dared to finish her sentence, but she didn't have to either. In fact, everyone had already more than picked up on what she was trying to imply. </p><p>The only ones with symbols of this nature were Sealed Ones. Two of them had taken place among the group of the Second Camaraderie's mages, and Iris remembered when S.M. was first Sealed how they had wondered who the twelfth member of the group would wind up being. It appeared that the last party in their circle had finally shown themselves, but it wasn't the answer that Iris was expecting in the slightest. After all the time they had spent fighting against Cerise, she was on their side, and her mark of Aries showed her dedication and determination to their shared cause. </p><p>Cerise didn't seem to know fully what this meant, but she didn't allow it to stop her. The mark of Aries continued to glow passionately on her hand, offering another source of light in the darkness of the tunnel. She unleashed a blast of lightning in Surion's direction, but he took advantage of the chaos and confusion to roll out of the way and rise to his feet a few feet away. </p><p>Carys was the next one to lash out, and she sent an attack forward from her icy wall. A large hand appeared and wrapped around Surion without a moment of hesitation, and all he could do was be hurled away from the ground and into the nearby wall. Iris smiled when he made contact with the hardened earth, and she found herself enjoying it far more than she expected to when he began to push himself to his feet despite his weakened state. After all of the pain that he had inflicted upon others, this was the smallest punishment that he could possibly deserve. </p><p>Briyana was the next one to lash out since she was the closest, and she slashed her sword in Surion's direction. Even though she didn't make contact with any crucial areas of his body, she still created a nasty injury on his shoulder when the sharpened edge of her blade hit the outside of Surion's arm. The king cried out in pain immediately, and his hand was sent flying up to nurse his injury as soon as he realized what was happening. Blood flowed freely between his fingers, but he didn't give it much attention, instead stomping his foot against the ground. </p><p>A column of flaming earth was created immediately, but it didn't take long for Carys to put such concerns to rest. She sent one of her hands snapping forward, and a thin layer of ice covered the column before it could cause significant damage to the tunnel around them. The ice began to spread in a sheet across the rest of the tunnel as a way of cutting off Surion from the influence of his magic. He wouldn't be able to get through the ice if there was enough of it, and that would make the battle easier for them all to win.</p><p>The temperature in the room had already started to drop by the time that the layer of ice had completely covered the area, and Iris pulled her metal coverings closer to her body. They were already starting to grow colder due to the air around her dropping to freezing levels, but the inside of the steel still offered a small amount of extra warmth that she enjoyed incredibly. She was going to enjoy being able to decompress after this was all over. </p><p>Surion attempted to unleash a blast of fire, but he was unable to do such a thing because of the cold temperatures of the air around him. Iris couldn't help the smirk that appeared on her face as she realized just how boldly ridiculous Surion was. He had allowed his ego to get the better of him, and that was going to be his downfall. Igni's temperatures were too hot for him to get used to casting magic in icy spaces, and he likely hadn't anticipated a situation like this repeating itself following Carys' flight from the palace of Igni. </p><p>Eros stabbed his axe in Surion's direction, and once again, he managed to make contact. No flames danced across the surface of the blades, but the sharpened axe still hit the side of Surion's leg. The king threatened to buckle under the weight of his injury, and his lack of training suddenly seemed clear as day to Iris. He wasn't going to be able to keep this up for much longer given the circumstances, and when he finally fell, Igni would see peace. </p><p>Soon. Soon, it would all be over. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>It took Minerva quite a while to find the energy to take Leviathan above ground after their souls were tied to one another. She was exhausted from absorbing half of his pain from the injury that Faerner had delivered to him, but Minerva forced herself onwards anyways. Leviathan was limp in her grasp, still making quips whenever he could find the energy. She held him like he was a young child rather than someone who was only a few years below her on the ladder of age. </p><p>Minerva arrived outside using the door that had been utilized to send her and the rest of the group underground in the first place, and she kicked off the ground with a blast of fire magic so that she wound up on the wall surrounding the city. As soon as she was there, Minerva practically collapsed, her breaths coming out in heavy gasps. The final traces of her adrenaline were finally being chased off, and that left nothing to keep her from completely collapsing due to her own exhaustion. </p><p>"You aren't looking too good," Leviathan told her. He had fallen unceremoniously from her grasp when Minerva's knees finally buckled, but he kept a nervous smile on his face. He reached out with one hand to touch gently at her face, and he almost recoiled when he felt the heat of her skin. Fire mages were naturally warmer than the average person, but it almost felt ridiculous to touch Minerva's burning flesh. She had most certainly pushed herself too far, and Leviathan could see it as clear as day. </p><p>"I'll be fine once we get back to Millennia," Minerva assured him despite the clear evidence that she wasn't telling the truth. She glanced up over the edge of the wall as sweat began to slip down her temple. Her eyes were on the verge of falling shut, and it was only because of Leviathan's presence that she was able to ground herself at all. It was a miracle that they had survived the previous battle as far as she was concerned, and it was only thanks to the power of Scorpio rescuing them and sealing their fates as forever bound. </p><p>Leviathan's gaze followed Minerva's a moment later, and he let out a gasp when he realized what she was looking at. "Hey... Is it just me, or are there way fewer Shadows out there than before?" he questioned, already knowing the answer before he even posed the inquiry. </p><p>Minerva nodded. "Defeating Faerner would send some of them fleeing, but if I had to guess, there's more to it than we realize," she told him. "I bet that the Keeper of Moonlight was here. The bastard, dammit. We can't have a moment of peace as long as they still draw breath. We wouldn't have been drawn into this endurance battle if the Keeper of Moonlight hadn't given Blessings to Surion and Faerner so long ago. We couldn't even counteract it with Shadows of our own."</p><p>"That would have made it too difficult for us to see who we were supposed to attack," Leviathan agreed, understanding what she was trying to say before she could explain herself. Minerva nodded her confirmation, and Leviathan sighed. "At least the numbers are thinning now. As soon as Surion goes down, the last group of Shadows should disappear, and then we'll be able to go back to Millennia."</p><p>"Minerva!"</p><p>Both the siblings glanced up at the cry of Minerva's name, and they watched as Zylphia, Jin, River, and Arisu approached them. The group had been fighting nearby, but their attention had been drawn towards Leviathan and Minerva after they touched down on the wall. Zylphia was the one who had shouted for Minerva, and it was easy to see why. </p><p>Zylphia fell to her knees beside both Minerva and Leviathan a moment later, her hands already starting to glow with a soft light that the siblings knew belonged to healing magic. Zylphia pressed her hands against Leviathan's body first, seeing how weak he was despite his attempts to mask his agony. Minerva sagged with relief, nearly falling sideways in the process. Jin wrapped an arm around her shoulders to keep her somewhat upright, but concern remained painted firmly on his face. </p><p>"At least the surface injury has been closed, whatever it was," Zylphia murmured after she had finished examining Leviathan. Nearby, River and Arisu unleashed blasts of ash and percussive explosions over the wall to the Shadows that still remained. Zylphia turned her attention to Minerva and began to heal her old comrade. </p><p>Minerva was close to fainting at the lovely contact of the magic against her abdomen. It felt so calming after everything that she and Leviathan had been through, and Minerva wanted nothing more than to go back to her and Altina's home on Millennia and sleep until everything had disappeared around her. She doubted such a thing would be happening for quite a while because of how protective Zylphia could be when it came to the people that she cared for, but Minerva allowed herself to dream anyways. It wasn't as if she had much else in that moment of suffering and pain. </p><p>"Leviathan's a Sealed One now," Minerva finally managed to push out, already knowing the shock on Zylphia and Jin's faces before she could even glance in their directions. Their generation of Sealed Ones had been missing four people at their last count during the War of Starlight, and it would have made incredible sense for Leviathan to wind up as one of the four that had been left as empty holes prior to the battle at hand. </p><p>Minerva shook her head before Jin or Zylphia could ask any questions once she was sure that River and Arisu were still otherwise occupied. "Not for a new symbol. He's got Scorpio. Our souls are tied. It was the only way I could save him," Minerva explained. "Faerner got away, but I almost killed him in the process. There are still four other Sealed Ones, but both Leviathan and I have Scorpio."</p><p>This was a new experience for all of them, and Minerva could feel it in the way that Jin and Zylphia alike looked at her. As far as they were aware, something of this nature had never taken place before, and it wasn't going to be easy for them to figure out how such a thing was possible. Minerva decided that she didn't want to think about it in that moment. Scorpio's power was incredible, but it was dizzying due to how much of it she had used all it once. She didn't know how much longer either one of them would be able to hold on. They were alive, but their exhaustion was undeniable. </p><p>"We'll work that out later," Jin assured Minerva as he gently shook her to make sure that she didn't fall asleep. She was thankful for such despite the searing pain that it sent through her abdomen. She resisted the urge to release a small hiss of frustration, and Minerva's head fell against Jin's shoulder. The two hadn't ever been particularly close among the members of the Starlight Camaraderie, and it was rare for them to spend time together alone due to their varying personalities, but none of that mattered to Minerva in that moment. His magic was keeping her somewhat calm, and that was exactly what she needed. It was what all of them needed, as a matter of fact. </p><p>River and Arisu continued to unleash their magical blasts over the side of the wall, but Minerva could tell that they were growing tired. There were fewer Shadows than there had been during the initial surge, but there were still quite a few for them to take care of. Minerva wished that she could help, but all that she could do was create a small spark. Her magic had been sucked dry temporarily to save Leviathan's life, and while she was beyond relieved that he was still alive, Minerva couldn't help but wish that she had gotten reassurance that Faerner was dead along the way. There was a chance that he had perished after teleporting away, but she wanted confirmation after the hell that she had endured that day. </p><p>"Hang on for just a while longer," Zylphia instructed in her stern yet motherly tone that Minerva had come to know so well. The words were aimed at both Minerva and Leviathan, but it was only the former of the two who responded with a light nod. She didn't know what was going on with the group that was going after Surion, but she prayed that they finished the job sooner rather than later. She had seen more than enough of this damn war. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Oh my god this book will be over in two weeks what in the world</p><p>-Digital</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0049"><h2>49. XLIX: Death by the Discarded</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Briyana ends the war at long last, and Luce and Cerise muse about the past and future alike.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Luce had to admit that she was impressed as Surion pushed himself to his feet. His body was shaking and didn't seem to be able to maintain anything resembling stability, and his notable injuries were only growing more agitated as the seconds crawled on. He snarled in the direction of Eros and Briyana, and he raised one of his hands to create a powerful blast fo fire in their direction. </p><p>Eros and Briyana both jumped out of the way, leading to Carys raising her hand to send ice crystals in the direction of the flickering flames. As soon as the frozen liquid made contact with the fire, the heated air was left as an icy silhouette of what it once had been with seemingly no hope of returning to its previous form. The ice crawled back along Surion's body, spreading from the tip of the flames to the hand that had sent the attack blasting out. </p><p>S.M. was the next one to react, and she clapped her hands together. As if on cue, Carys created a hole in the ground for S.M. to cast a spell through, and stones began to mount around Surion. Starting with his legs, rocks crept across his body. Ice did the same, creating a mesh of frozen water and hardened earth that was impossible for Surion to break through. His injuries were frozen over and then hidden beneath the ice and rock, and Surion attempted to thrash free. No matter how much he tried to escape, he couldn't break out. </p><p>Surion snarled under his breath as the ice and rock covered his body. Briyana shook her head as she strutted closer to him, a frown weighing heavily upon her features. "It's almost ironic, I have to say," she remarked softly. "You've caused so many people to suffer because of your own selfishness and hubris, but you're going down so easily. All it takes is one little flick in the right direction for everything to fall apart."</p><p>Eros shook his head, disappointment and anger festering in his eyes. "You've killed so many people with your damn selfish desires, but you don't care about any of this. All that you mind is if it can feed into what you need done. You'll hurt more people than you can count, but you don't give a damn. It's almost funny how the ones who would have been tossed away by your system are the ones who are going to end your life now," he continued. </p><p>Surion glared at Eros and Briyana with an expression that would have struck a person dead if looks could kill. "You don't know what you're talking about! You're nothing more than pathetic leaths, and you exist to serve mages!" he screeched. Even to the bitter end, he refused to yield in his ideals, and Luce had to confess that she found it beyond pathetic. </p><p>Briyana shook her head as she primed her sword in her grasp. "You have no idea what you're talking about," she said softly. "You don't know what it's like to suffer because life was handed to you on a silver platter. You have the power to inflict pain upon others, and no sympathy lives in your heart. What a sad existence that must be... But I'm not here to debate the actions of your past. I'm here to show you how much pain you have the potential to inflict on others. You never realized it, so I'll make sure that you understand the depth of your terrible actions here and now."</p><p>Eros took a step back, seeming to understand what Briyana was about to do. He was almost hesitant about it, but he didn't say openly that he had any objections on the matter. Flames danced across the surface of the axe in his hands. "End it," he commanded of Briyana quietly. "For the sake of people the people he's killed, end it."</p><p>Briyana nodded before turning her head in the direction of the nearby mages. Her eyes narrowed, and care blossomed in her gaze. It was strange to see her looking so gentle and kind after she had been relentlessly tearing into Surion a moment prior for his own lack of care. "You shouldn't have to see this," she told the young mages. "You're too young to bear this kind of weight."</p><p>Luce wasn't the only one to understand what she meant, and she allowed herself to look away. She knew what was coming, and she pressed her eyes shut as her grip tightened on her sword. This was going to be the moment that ended everything at long last. </p><p>Briyana let out an empty chuckle and shook her head as she stepped towards Surion once again, her sword raised in the air. "A death fitting of a king, wouldn't you say?"</p><p>The blade fell, and everything ended. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Zylphia didn't feel entirely safe at first when she saw that the Shadows had gone down. It took a few moments of blinking and waiting for the realization to properly settle in for her to understand what she was seeing. The Shadows were falling apart without hesitation, and cheers were raising up from the crowd of mages still flying around the outside of the city. Zylphia's face slipped into a relieved smile as she glanced in the direction of her comrades. </p><p>Minerva was still sitting on the ground with Leviathan in her grasp. As soon as they realized that the Shadows were gone, they pulled one another in closer, almost as if the feared the world itself would end if they let their sibling go. Zylphia smiled as she brushed some hair away from her face. Arisu released a holler of excitement as they clapped their hands together in glee, and they threw their arms around River without a moment of hesitation. Much to Zylphia's surprise, River returned the gesture, and they stood there quietly for quite some time after the fact. </p><p>Zylphia could feel something probing at her hand, and she glanced down to see Jin's fingers attempting to wrap themselves between her own. She smiled in response before reaching out and taking his hand gently. She pressed his palm against her cheek and closed her eyes, allowing herself to take in the beauty of the moment. At long last, everything felt as if it was right. The concerns of Igni were in the past, and everything was going to be alright. </p><p>Zylphia glanced over the rest of the city, and Jin did the same. They watched as mages came to land on the outer wall or on the streets below, and the screams of joy that rose up from the crowd reached Zylphia's ears in a light haze of static. She chuckled to herself but didn't say anything about it, instead choosing to simply move in a bit closer against Jin's body. Nothing mattered but the knowledge that they had managed to succeed in the battle. They had survived, and Zylphia was beyond overjoyed that they wouldn't have to deal with this conflict ever again. </p><p>"We're safe," Jin murmured, and Zylphia realized that there were tears in his eyes. She smiled gently before leaning over and kissing him gently, pressing a careful peck against his lips. Jin's grin only grew wider, and she could have sworn that she saw a blush rising in his cheek because of her sudden forward behavior. She didn't acknowledge it, not seeing much of a point when the world felt as if it had fallen into perfect harmony at long last. </p><p>"I guess that we should go and make sure that everyone else is alright," came Minerva's comment from the ground below. Zylphia glanced over in her friend's direction with an intense glare to pin Minerva in place. </p><p>"You won't be doing anything," Zylphia told Minerva simply. The fire mage glared back before seeming to give up on fighting back, and she simply let out a sigh before closing her eyes and allowing the world around her to rush out of clarity. She was still conscious, but the line between wakefulness and slumber was thin and dangerous. Zylphia knew that they had to get back to Millennia as soon as possible to give both Minerva and Leviathan the chance to rest. </p><p>That day had brought quite a bit of new information, and all Zylphia could do was frown to herself as she tried to figure out how she was meant to process all of this new information. Leviathan was a member of the Sealed Ones, and his life was tied eternally with Minerva's in both death and beauty. The war had been won, and the fall of the Shadows made it clear to her that Surion had been killed. Zylphia didn't know who had done the deed, but she was proud of them for managing something so impressive. </p><p>"Soon," Zylphia whispered to nobody in particular. "We'll be back home soon enough, and then we can officially leave this in the past."</p><p>
  <em>Not soon enough. </em>
</p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Luce walked carefully and heavily as she broke through the underground to reach the surface of the ground. Her eyes were heavy, and her wings were on the verge of disappearing alongside the rest of her Isolis transformation. The other members of the Starlight Camaraderie with her, and Briyana and Eros took up the rear. Surion did not leave the castle with them, and he would never be given that chance. </p><p>As soon as they managed to arrive outside, Luce turned to face Briyana. Her blue hair stuck to her face as she watched the leader of the resistance, and Briyana raised her bloodied sword into the sky, a symbol of all that had taken place that day. A roar exploded from the crowd from leaths and mages alike, and Luce wished that she had the energy to join in. </p><p>"We're finally going to be able to go home," S.M. whispered. "I wish that Octavia hadn't died for all of this though. She would have been able to change Igni for the better without needing to get everyone involved with a war of this magnitude, but I guess that there's nothing we can do to change that now."</p><p>Luce bit down on her lip at S.M.'s words, but she couldn't bring herself to respond. None of the words that came to mind felt right, and she decided that silence was the better decision out of the options that had been posed to her. Instead, Luce turned her face up, and sunlight touched her exhausted cheeks. Luce let out a sigh that sounded strangely like a bark of laughter, and she realized that she had fought and survived her second war in the span of just a year. She was still so young, and she had been through hell and back. </p><p>"The war is over, everyone!" Briyana exclaimed, and Luce realized that someone had likely given her a spell to increase the volume of her words. "Igni has been freed from the tyranny of the king, and we leaths will have the ability to shape the planet as we should have from the start! Too many have suffered and died under the rule of Surion and his oppressive nature, but that all ends today! I will take up as many operations as necessary to keep Igni from ever falling into such awful means again. From today forward, Igni is not simply built for the people who live at the top of the planet's societal ladder. Igni will be for everyone who lives and thrives on this planet, and that much you can consider a promise from the resistance itself!"</p><p>Another rousing shout came up from the crowd, and Luce forced herself to keep from completely submitting to the lingering traces of her exhaustion, knowing that she wouldn't have been able to return to her Isolis form if she allowed herself to revert. There was too much yet to be done. When she got back to Millennia, she would have been safe enough to transform back into her regular clothes. She just needed that little piece of stability to ensure that she didn't completely fall apart under the weight of all that had taken place. </p><p>Luce glanced around the area and recognized that there were many mages on the ground nearby. She hadn't even seen them land. Luce received a tap on the shoulder before she could say anything on the matter, and she turned her head over her shoulder to see that Iris was attempting to get her attention. Luce opened her mouth to ask what was happening, but the words wouldn't come out. It seemed that she was more exhausted than she had originally wanted to admit. </p><p>"We're going up there," Iris explained. She pointed her finger towards the outer wall, and Luce tilted her head to the side in curiosity. "I believe that Headmistress Satim is up there, and we think that it would be a great place to rest for the time being. We'll be back home soon, but we have to endure everything for just a little bit longer. Can you fly there?"</p><p>Luce nodded before she knew if that was a lie or not, and her wings pulled her off the ground. Luce felt as if she was a puppet dangling on the end of a single string, and her wings were all that were keeping her from completely falling apart. She hadn't realized how arduous the final battle had been until after it ended, leaving her to feel as if the world was about to collapse around her. Adrenaline was a beautiful bastard, Luce found. It presented her with the energy needed to survive the battle at all, but as soon as it was gone, she felt nothing short of complete exhaustion. </p><p>The flight up to the outer wall passed by in a blur, and Luce fell to her knees as soon as they arrived. In fact, she saw that the same applied to the other mages in the group save for S.M. and Carys. They were only being tied together thanks to the power of their Sealings, and the two girls almost appeared as if they were ready to go for round two if they absolutely had to. Luce cringed at the realization that Cerise wasn't among the group. That truly was a shame. After all, Luce had a question or two for the other girl about what had taken place beneath the palace. </p><p>Luce hadn't wanted to believe it at first, and she didn't think that she would understand what had happened for quite a while. Cerise had turned out to be the final member of their group. She had always counted up eleven fighters that would have fit the criteria of being a Sealed One, but Cerise was set apart from the rest of them. She had been their enemy up until recently, and then the mark of Aries appeared. There was no way to go back from that, and it seemed like proof enough to Luce that Cerise was going to be around for quite some time to come. </p><p>Still, the thoughts regarding complications were going to have to wait until later, because Luce knew that there were far more important things to focus on. Millennia was waiting for them, and the end of the war had finally arrived. She couldn't wait to take a step back and just relax after all that had happened. The semester was drawing closer to its conclusion, and Luce was almost looking forward to the inevitable whirlwind of tests that was bound to come next. She figured that it had to be better than just fighting in a war constantly with no sense of reprieve. </p><p>Luce closed her eyes as she turned towards Zylphia. The older woman nodded her understanding and snapped her fingers together. The world around them began to shift, and Millennia came to replace Igni in the blink of an eye. Luce couldn't help but sigh as the world began to spin, simply happy to understand that she was home, and, at least for the time being, safe. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Igni was far from being a peaceful place in the hours that followed the death of the king. The students from Millennia were being taken back to the planet that they had come from, and that left the others who were heavily tied to Igni behind to clean up the damages. Cerise was almost happy that the old capital wasn't going to be reclaimed anytime soon. She certainly wouldn't have wanted to put up with returning it to its former glory after all the damage that had been done. </p><p>Cerise found herself staring down at the marking on the back of her hand no matter how much she tried to force herself to look away. Her internalized attempts at persuasion never convinced her fully to leave the symbol where it was and ignore it. She couldn't stop thinking about what had taken place in the tunnels beneath the palace. She had fought against Surion, and the higher powers had responded to her with a smile and a blessing. </p><p>Altina had been the one to explain it. After the Shadows fell, Altina and December put their full attention towards finding Cerise, and when they reunited, Altina recognized the symbol immediately. Her expression was oddly pinched and tense when she said that Cerise was one of the Sealed Ones, and she instructed that her adoptive niece never tell a soul outside of those she absolutely had to. A quick masking spell was cast, and no further words were spoken on the matter. </p><p>When nobody was around, Cerise still found herself undoing the spell to look at the splendid symbol. Something about it simply felt right for reasons that she couldn't quite describe in mere words. She always ended her brief staring contest with her hand by sighing and shaking her head, recognizing that there were more important things to focus on than the symbol that kept on pulling at her mind for attention every few minutes. </p><p>It was going to take a long time to free Igni of the chains that it had been restricted with, and Cerise was fully aware of such a fact. She had been planning on dedicating at least a little bit of time to saving the planet after all that had happened. Her ties to the planet were minimal, but Cerise still felt a small obligation to help out the people who had spent so many years admiring her. Cerise had always done her best to remain calm and caring as December had taught her, and she knew that helping Igni as much as she could fit in with that description. </p><p>After that though, Cerise had no idea what she was going to do. The simple answer had her going back to N-Yx so that she could be properly acquainted with her parents and siblings after all their years apart. The complicated answer was that Cerise didn't think that she belonged on N-Yx or Igni. She knew the Alight Five better than her blood family, and her ties with her fellow former generals were far stronger than any connections of genetics could have ever been. She would have felt an obligation to one group or the other regardless of where she wound up. </p><p>Even so, the wrench that disturbed everything once again was the mark that had appeared on her hand. Cerise couldn't help but feel that perhaps there was part of her that was meant to be on Millennia with the other members of the Second Camaraderie. That was what they had called themselves, right? Cerise had spent a long time fighting against them, but when she stood by their side, everything began to change for the better. She received the symbol of Aries and a boost in power that left every part of her body feeling like it was constantly buzzing with something beautiful. </p><p>Altina and December had explained that the marking was a sign that Cerise was set to be part of the next generation of fighters that worked alongside the Keeper of Starlight or their closest equivalent. She didn't know entirely how she was meant to respond to something like that. In all honesty, Cerise didn't think that she deserved their kindness. She had shoved her feelings aside during the fighting because she had no other choice, but all of the internalized hatred towards her past actions was returning full force. Was she really meant to stand by them when she didn't even feel that she was worthy? Could they do without the one marked by Aries, or was she truly as one in a generation as everyone had stated? </p><p>There hadn't even been a Sealed One of Aries in the generation that Altina was part of. Somehow, that only made Cerise feel worse, and when she watched the marking on the back of her hand, she waited for it to offer her an answer to the complicated questions that refused to leave her alone. Nothing made any sense, and the ground felt as if it was constantly shifting from beneath her feet. How could she even find her balance if the world was crumbling around her?</p><p>Still, Cerise supposed that it could wait. That was how she always dealt with her emotions; she ignored them and set them aside until she could properly respond. For the time being, Igni needed her, and then she had to return to N-Yx for at least a short while to meet with her parents and siblings. She could work out the other details regarding her future at a later point. None of that mattered for the moment, right? </p><p>Cerise concealed the symbol once again with a brief wave of her other hand, and she took in a grounding breath before forcing herself to concentrate on the task in front of her. What was she even supposed to be doing again? Did it matter? Was she even meant to be on Igni in the first place?</p><p><em>Forget it,</em> Cerise thought when her brain began to throw too many messy proposals in her direction for her to handle. She shook her head and allowed the numbness to settle in. None of this mattered. She could think about it another time. She would be better equipped to handle it later on. For the moment, the world was counting on her, and she couldn't let it down. </p><p>Then again, she supposed that was going to be the case quite a bit in the future, and it had nothing to do with N-Yx or Igni. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Luce almost felt strange slipping into casual clothing after all that had happened. She had barely recognized her reflection when she returned to her dorm room in Alitia. Her hair was out of place, and her eyes were torn apart by dark circles. She rubbed at her cheeks in an attempt to give them some sense of lost vibrancy, but in the end, all Luce could do was sigh and shake her head. She couldn't get distracted when there were other things to concentrate on. </p><p>An unofficial party was being held at Alitia that night to celebrate the end of the war. Many students had fought on Igni, and they all needed a chance to take a deep breath and enjoy themselves after all that they had accomplished. Luce, in all honesty, could have cared less about the party. There was something else that required her attention, and it was the reason that she was bothering with her hair at all. </p><p>Luce had changed into a loose white t-shirt and dark leggings, and her boots were the same black color. The laces were an electric blue, a gift courtesy of Nebula before the party started. Luce had smiled quizzically in her direction before Nebula simply shrugged and said she thought they would look good with her hair. In the end, Luce had allowed herself the pleasure of wearing them, and she used the extra laces that Nebula had brought to thread through some gloves that matched the similar pattern. Luce hardly recognized herself, and no matter how many times she repeated into her reflection that it was her, she barely seemed to believe it. She looked like the face of confidence even after all that had happened. It was odd to think that she was capable of something like that, and all she could do was shake her head as she focused back on what she had to do. </p><p>The walk to Michaela's office was the same as ever, and Luce slid into her regular seat when she saw that the door was open. Michaela was still writing down something on a piece of paper, and she smiled when she saw that Luce had arrived. Michaela immediately moved to put everything away, and Luce let out a sigh when she collapsed unceremoniously into her chair. Perhaps she needed a nap before the party more than she thought. Starlight knew she would never be able to rest as long as there were people cheering to the sound of noisy music in the background regardless of if her windows and doors were closed or not. </p><p>"It's finally over," Michaela smiled to Luce. "You did it. You've survived to the end the way that I knew you would. I'm proud of you for managing to come this far. I know that you were nervous, but... You did it."</p><p>"Somehow," Luce snorted. She normally wouldn't have been this casual when it came to speaking with people who were meant to be her superiors, but she couldn't bring herself to care when Michaela was around. It was fine given that Michaela didn't seem to mind anyways. </p><p>Michaela's fingers slipped over in Luce's direction, and she placed her hand on top of the other girl's seamlessly. "It's something to be proud of. This is the last time that you'll have to put up with something like that as far as I can tell. Everything is safe, at least for right now," she assured Luce. </p><p>"We thought that it wasn't going to happen before the Thanatos War too. We also thought that Igni wasn't going to get violent, and then they did. We can't exactly predict when or where this is going to happen. We've gotten incredibly unlucky so far, all things considered," Luce remarked with a shake of her head. "It'll always happen again. As long as there's discord in this world, there will always be another conflict. I'm not looking forward to whatever comes next. It's different being a soldier from being a mercenary. As a mercenary, you can seal off each battle as its own little issue and then move on and focus on something else. As a soldier... You're always waiting for the next war. That's all you can do. There's no other reason for a soldier to fight. You wait for another war, and then you march off to battle, finish the fight, and do it all over again."</p><p>Michaela's eyes were patient when she waited for Luce to finish speaking. "I think that you should focus on the moment," she eventually said when she was sure that the girl was done. "I know that it's a small comfort in the grand scheme of things, but... You survived this conflict, and that's something you should be proud of. Take a step back and admire everything that you've already managed to accomplish. You're alive right now, aren't you? Take a moment to enjoy yourself after all that you've done. You deserve that much, Luce."</p><p>Luce nodded slowly, unsure of how to respond to that. "I wasn't even thinking of going to the party tonight. It was only because my friends forced me out of my room that I'm trying it out," she confessed to Michaela. </p><p>"I think that's a good thing," Michaela told her. "You deserve to take a break, and you need it now more than ever after everything that you've done. Be proud of yourself, Luce. You've done many great things, and it's time for you to enjoy all that you've accomplished up to this point. You're almost done with your first year of Alitia. Even if you can't bring yourself to celebrate the war, then honor that accomplishment. It's not easy to go through all of this, continue life as a student, and still come out the other side with your head held high. You're stronger emotionally than you think, Luce. Strength isn't simply a mask, and you wear it inside and out with pride and confidence that few could only dream of. </p><p>"I guess so," Luce finally whispered after a long pause. She smiled, and for the first time in ages, it actually felt genuine. "I suppose that I should go and join my friends at the party now. They're going to wonder where I am, and I don't want Carys getting upset enough to freeze hell over."</p><p>Michaela let out a small laugh and pulled her hand away from Luce's slowly and carefully, almost as if she didn't want to release her student from the office. "Of course," she said gracefully. If she had any objections, she chose to not voice them, and she waved gently as Luce rose to her feet and walked out of the office. </p><p>Luce felt strangely on top of the world as she left Michaela behind. Even if there was another conflict waiting in the future, none of that mattered in that instant. She was alive, and she had managed to endure yet another war. Everything was going to find a way to work out, and Luce was going to ensure that she survived anything else that the universe had to throw at her. The future was unimportant when compared to the strange, misshapen perfection that she had found in the moment. </p><p>She was going to survive no matter what happened, and even if the conclusion of this conflict was only the beginning, Luce was positive she would see the other side in all of its splendid glory. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Next week is the last chapter yall aaaaa what the hell</p><p>-Digital</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0050"><h2>50. L: To Light the Future With Stars</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The fighters in the war face down with the aftermath of the final battle.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The weight of flowers felt different from an axe, Eros found. </p><p>The past few hours had been nothing short of a whirlwind, to say the least. He and Briyana had returned to the capital alongside many of their allies, and the celebration honoring the death of Surion had already begun. Briyana was working for change, and everyone was fully aware of how dedicated she was to the cause. Eros was glad to see it, but in a way, all of the activity reminded him of the people who would never be able to witness the beautiful peace that they had created. </p><p>Eros' favorite and least favorite place in the world simultaneously was the graveyard where his mother had been buried. It had been years since she passed away, but Eros still thought of her often. She had done so much to make ends meet for them, and in the end, it was the very system of Igni that had caused her downfall. She hadn't been able to take the weight of the world around her, not that Eros could blame her for collapsing beneath it. He simply wished that she could have survived a little while longer, just to see what Eros had worked for. </p><p>Everything that he had done since her passing had been in her name. He wanted to make her happy above all else, and he had gotten close to the king with hopes of killing him for allowing mages to hurt leaths to such a degree. Everything had been for her, and Eros wished that he could have been the one to cut his head from his body in his mother's name. Either way, he could still bring her flowers, and that was what he had come to do. </p><p>"I'm sure she would have been proud."</p><p>Eros turned upon hearing Briyana's voice behind him, and he saw that she was carrying a few bundles of flowers as well. She approached another nearby grave and set down the bouquets with a sad smile on her face. Eros glanced down and saw the surname on the gravestone: Frazier. He assumed that they were her parents easily when he recognized one name being masculine and another feminine. </p><p>"I hope so," Eros muttered under his breath. Normally, he would have been offended that somebody thought following him was a good idea, but with Briyana, he didn't mind it as much as one would have expected him to. They had been through a lot together in a short span of time, and Eros had to confess that he appreciated her company during such a somber moment. </p><p>Briyana reached out and took Eros' hand, and their fingers intertwined soon afterwards. Eros looked at the place where they were connected for a long moment before he set down the bundle of flowers on his mother's grave. He could see that there were sad tears forming in her eyes, and he glanced away to keep from being torn apart under the weight of his own sympathy for her. </p><p>"We did this for all of them," Briyana told Eros. "Our parents, Octavia, and every other person who suffered under the systems that Igni had in place to hurt people like us. We're going to change it all and make sure that nothing like this ever happens again. It's what everyone deserves."</p><p>Eros nodded simply, unsure of what else could even be said. He didn't think that there was any meaningful contribution that he could have made. Instead, he simply pulled Briyana in closer, and the two embraced each other soon afterwards. Eros wasn't sure when he had started crying, but he knew that he didn't bother to wipe away his tears when they began to fall. </p><p>At long last, it was finally over. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>The celebration at Alitia was somehow lighter in atmosphere than the previous party, and Luce had to confess that she didn't understand how that was possible. Then again, she supposed that it didn't need to make sense. She just needed to enjoy what was happening. A lot had happened in the past few weeks, and they all needed a break. </p><p>It didn't take long for Luce to make her way over to the table where the rest of her friends were sitting together. Anneliese and Nebula had even found time to come over from Sacred Heart, and Luce could see a few students from other schools scattered about as well. She wondered where the other head teachers were, but she didn't see any traces of most of them. Jin was there for sure, and so were Caius and Zylphia, but the others were notably absent. Luce had heard from Anneliese earlier that Minerva and Leviathan had both been hurt terribly during the battle on Igni, so chances were that Altina and Fromir were with them. Luce couldn't imagine that Altina would want to be anywhere aside from next to Minerva throughout the entire recovery process, and Fromir had grown rather close with Leviathan over the past few months as well. </p><p>"There you are! We were about to send a search party," Helena commented with a light laugh. Her magenta hair was cascading over her shoulders in gentle curls, and Luce immediately assumed that Carys had taken to helping out Helena with her preparations for the party. Helena's dress for the night was far trendier than what Luce had come to expect from her as well, and it looked more like something Carys would pick out, only further proving her suspicions. </p><p>"Don't worry, I'm here," Luce chuckled with a shake of her head as she slid into one of the two available seats at the rather large table. She glanced over to the other empty chair, and a frown appeared on her face. She already had a sneaking suspicion that she knew who it was for. "Cerise?"</p><p>Nebula nodded. "She's off doing other things at the moment, though I'm not quite sure what," she explained. "I guess that we're going to have to start getting used to working with her from here on out given that she's a Sealed One too... Aries, huh?"</p><p>"I guess so," S.M. muttered with a shake of her head. "We'll see her around again soon enough, I'm sure. I somehow doubt that she's going to be spending the rest of her life on Igni. She has a lot going on at the moment, but we're going to cross paths in the future. Maybe by then some of you will have joined us as part of the Sealed Ones club."</p><p>Sophia let out a laugh, raising one hand to cover her mouth as she did so. "It's just going to take time. Not all of us can freeze an entire castle or fight against ridiculously powerful mages," she told S.M., and Luce noted the way that her voice briefly faltered. She wasn't sure what could have caused Sophia to suddenly come off as so upset, but she chose to not comment on it for the time being. </p><p>"Personally, I would love to freeze a castle again," Carys declared proudly with a wide grin on her face. "Especially if it means that I can do something to hurt Faerner... I heard that he got away after that last fight. Headmistress Zylphia was discussing it with Headmaster Maestro earlier. That was what happened to Headmistress Claudere too."</p><p>"I can confirm that," Anneliese told her with a nod. "It was only after we split away from the headmistress that she got hurt, and she was covering for us to go deeper into the tunnels after Faerner showed up... I don't know if he could have survived with such a grave wound, but we'll have to keep it in mind from here on out. I don't want to have to run into him again, but we don't exactly have much input in the matter. If he's alive, he'll be back, I'm sure."</p><p>"We'll deal with that bridge when we get to it," Sylvia declared with a scoff as she moved a bit closer to Luce. "For now, let's try to have some fun, okay? We've done lots of great stuff lately, and we deserve to kick back and enjoy ourselves. Surion is dead, and that means that we aren't going to be targeted from here on out."</p><p>"You say that. We thought it was okay last time, but then look at what happened," S.M. pointed out with a scoff. She took a drink of her punch, and Luce watched as her friend wiped at her mouth with the back of her hand when a red imprint was left behind on her lip. </p><p>"Fun, guys! Sylvia said that we should have fun, and I agree with her!" Cessair cried out, throwing her hands up dramatically to increase the effect. The rest of the group exploded into laughter soon afterwards, and Luce couldn't help but grin in return. The night was already going well, and she knew that it was only going to get better from there. </p><p>After all, what more could she have asked for? </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Altina sat down with a cup in one hand after approaching Minerva's bedside. Leviathan was on her other side, and Fromir was watching him with wide, concerned eyes. Altina had to confess that Fromir looked more like a kicked puppy than a person in that moment, but she chose to keep that to herself to ensure that she didn't accidentally upset him. Fromir had been incredibly upset when he first heard about what happened to Leviathan, and the last thing Altina wanted to do was worsen that. Besides, it wasn't as if she had been much better when she heard about Minerva being hurt as well. </p><p>"Look at you, all worried about me," Leviathan commented. Even after sleeping for a few hours, he was still exhausted, and anyone could see it. That didn't stop him from getting snarky though, not that Altina should have suspected anything different. She was more than familiar with Leviathan's habits after hearing about so much of his personality from Minerva. It was almost hard to believe that the two were related given how radically different they were. </p><p>"Can you blame me?" Fromir questioned, his voice filled to the brim with agitation. When he realized that Leviathan was only playing with him, he shook his head. "Sorry. Things have been stressful lately is all, and I don't think that you getting hurt really did much to help me with that."</p><p>"You know, I think that I owe you a little something for making you worry about me... A date, perhaps?" Leviathan questioned with a mischievous grin on his face. He raised his eyebrows a few times, and Altina saw Minerva perk up in curiosity from her own bed within Sacred Heart. </p><p>"I... I guess that would be nice..." Fromir whispered. "I've really liked spending time with you, Leviathan. I don't think that I would have gotten through the past few months without you. I guess what I'm trying to say is... Um... Well..."</p><p>"You want to be my boyfriend," Leviathan teased him. Fromir immediately flushed and looked away, but Leviathan was undeterred as he laughed in response. "I'd be more than happy to get closer to you, Fromi. I said that I enjoyed being around you too, didn't I? If not, then there you go. That's my grand confession of love. You know, unless you're looking for me to be even more dramatic than I already am normally..."</p><p>"No," Fromir, Minerva, and Altina all said in sync, earning another noisy snicker from Leviathan. The other three joined in on his laughter soon afterwards before Fromir pulled Leviathan into a hug. The two stayed like that for a brief moment before dispersing soon afterwards. Fromir's face remained bright red for a few seconds longer, and Leviathan poked at his cheek to make sure that he was still breathing. Fromir shook his head and stared down at the ground nervously. </p><p>"So, Minerva, how do you feel knowing that your younger brother started a relationship right in front of you?" Altina asked as she handed over a cup of water to her partner. "That doesn't seem like something most people would be confident enough to do."</p><p>"One thing that you learn about Leviathan after a while is that he's confident enough to do just about anything," Minerva told Altina with a snort. "That seems like a problem for Leviathan and Fromir, if I'm being honest. Leviathan is the one who did this, so he gets to face the consequences of being in a long-distance relationship."</p><p>"That's right... You have to go back to Neo-Yen soon, don't you?" Fromir questioned, deflating slightly at the realization. </p><p>Leviathan shrugged. "It'll be fine. For now, let's just make the most of this moment," he told Fromir. "I know that I want to enjoy it."</p><p>Leviathan and Fromir hugged each other once again, and Minerva and Altina both watched on with fond smiles before lacing their fingers together. Silence covered the room, and none of them dared to break it. They didn't need to say anything to understand exactly what the others were thinking. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>The school of Acadia had been about halfway abandoned since the students returned from Igni. Some of the students were wandering around the campus trying to enjoy their newfound freedom from the war while others had taken to Alitia to try and enjoy the festivities with their classmates. Still, regardless of where everyone was, the back of the school was left lonely, and the only ones there were December, Cerise, Shiho, and Zaeran. </p><p>Shiho and Zaeran were standing a few feet away, and they watched their daughter carefully from afar. Cerise returned the stare, subconsciously hiding the back of her hand beneath her palm. Even with a masking spell active, she didn't want anyone to figure out that anything was wrong. Her acting skills were far from perfect, but she was trying her best, and that had to count for something. </p><p>"What are you going to do?" December questioned carefully of Cerise. Her arms were crossed over her chest, and her expression was impossible to read. "It's your decision at the end of the day."</p><p>Cerise took in a small breath before she stepped towards Shiho and Zaeran. "I'm going to go back to N-Yx with them for a little while," she replied. "I'll be returning soon enough. For now, I'm going to do what I can to get to know the family that was taken away from me."</p><p>December nodded as a somber smile appeared on her face. "I'm proud of you," she said softly. She took Cerise's hand between her fingers and squeezed gently. Cerise returned the gesture, and the two locked gazes for a long moment. </p><p>"Even if I go elsewhere though, I promise that I won't ever forget about the family that meant so much to me on Igni. The Alight Five may have disbanded, but my memory will remain true well into the future," Cerise told December. "I'm confident that we'll see each other again regardless of where we go next. That much I can say for sure."</p><p>December smiled once again, and she blinked away tears before they could begin to fall. "I'll be returning to Igni for the time being," she explained. "The planet needs all the help that it can get, and at least temporarily, I'm going to be helping Arisu, River, and Eros to fix the damage that was done. Plus, Salem is going to be there, and we still have a lot to catch up on after spending more than twenty-five years apart."</p><p>"I'll be looking forward to crossing paths with you once again," Cerise murmured as she pulled December into a hug. She tried and failed to keep herself from crying, prompting Cerise to continue pressing herself against December for a few moments afterwards. December returned the favor, and for a long while, they simply stayed that way, enjoying the last few moments of their time together before their separate obligations tore them apart. </p><p>When time finally resumed its steady march, Cerise and December stepped away from one another, and Cerise walked over to where Shiho and Zaeran were waiting for her. December stepped backwards as well, and her short hair began to flow in the breeze gently. Cerise and December locked gazes for one last handful of moments before they turned on their heels and started walking in their separate directions. </p><p>As they parted though, Cerise and December knew above all else that they were going to be seeing each other again one day. It was only a matter of time before they reunited, and both of them were sure that their next encounter would be beautiful. For the time being though, they had to part ways, and so, they did. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>Caius and Aurore stood together at the edge of the Alitia campus. The distant murmur of students could be heard, but neither one of them stepped any closer than they had to. Caius had to confess that it reminded him of what had taken place during the aftermath of the previous war. It wasn't exactly great for him to think about the fact that there had been two wars within the span of less than a year, but he wasn't about to protest the facts. His time was too precious for that, and he knew that what was done couldn't be reversed. </p><p>Aurore was preparing to return to her home on Neo-Yen soon enough. The mission had been completed, and the princess of N-Yx had been uncovered. Leviathan was still stuck in bed because of the injury that he had sustained during the final confrontation with Faerner, but Caius was sure that he would be fine. After all, Altina and Fromir were with him, and Caius would trust both of them with his life. </p><p>"I guess that I should go on and get ready to head back," Aurore told Caius. "I've been summoned back to Neo-Yen, and I don't think that I should keep my charges waiting if I can avoid it. Neo-Yen has been missing me and Leviathan as far as I can tell, and I wouldn't want to hold off our return more than I already have. Then again, I suppose that you can blame the war for that."</p><p>"Will you be waiting for Leviathan to recover before you return?" Caius questioned with a tilt of his head and an arch of his eyebrow. </p><p>"I'm afraid not. As far as the planet is concerned, having one Guardian is better than having none at all, so I'm being called back now," Aurore responded, an anxious smile festering on her face. "Besides, I have family to get back to. Leviathan's family is here, so at least he'll recover in good hands. I'm sure that he'll return when he's ready to fight again. Nothing can keep him down, let me tell you. I'm not too worried."</p><p>"I'm looking forward to the next time that we come to work together," Caius told Aurore, reaching out his hand to shake hers. She returned the favor. "I somehow doubt that this will be the last time we see each other."</p><p>"You're certainly right on that front," Aurore agreed with a chuckle. "Here's to the day we see each other again. I hope that it doesn't end in a war the way that this time did. Then again, I suppose that the universe can only stand so many wars all at once, eh?"</p><p>Caius laughed, though it sounded more like a harsh bark than anything else. "You would be surprised," he commented. "Still, I'm sure that we'll see each other soon enough. Be careful out there. The last thing we would want is for you to wind up in trouble like Leviathan."</p><p>"You don't have to tell me twice," Aurore assured him as she took a step back. "When we next meet, I hope it's in times of peace rather than strife. I hope you enjoy the rest of the festivities. Farewell."</p><p>As Aurore's silhouette disappeared on the horizon, Caius watched with a fond smile. He had to confess that he felt the same way about their inevitable next encounter, and he hoped that they came together in peace as opposed to war. Caius had already seen more than enough of war to last a lifetime, and the past year had certainly been a large contributing factor to such a truth. </p><p>But he could worry about that another time. For the moment, he had to enjoy the festivities around him. He enjoyed that much, and Caius was looking forward to what the future had in store for him. That night was the first step towards tomorrow, and he prayed that it was less tempestuous than the past few months had been. </p><p>~~~~~~</p><p>"So... Graduation."</p><p>Mina stood with Kanoa at the edge of the party, just barely in range of the glaring lights overhead. Mina was taking a bite out of a cookie while Kanoa spoke around a sip of her bright red punch. Both of them were vaguely aware of the distant din of music, but neither of them openly acknowledged it. </p><p>"Yeah," Mina told Kanoa in response simply. "I don't know what I'm going to be doing about it, if I'm being perfectly honest. I thought that I had plans for my future, but everything's been thrown into chaos because of my damn parents. I never thought I would say something like that given that they abandoned me, but here we are."</p><p>Kanoa nodded slowly. It had been a few hours since S.M. first approached Mina to tell her about their parents appearing and talking to her about wanting to be a family once again. Mina hadn't exactly taken the news well, and she immediately responded with anger before Kanoa was able to calm her down. It was a natural response given the way that Mina had been treated by them in the past, and Kanoa could hardly blame her girlfriend for reacting in such a volatile manner even if it had been incredibly unpleasant to witness. </p><p>"Are you going to try and reach out to them?" Kanoa questioned. "S.M. said that she wants your input on what to do next, and I don't think that it's like you to just ignore her wishes out of the blue like that."</p><p>"I'm going to do my best, I guess," Mina sighed. "It's not as if I really want to do this. In fact, it's the last thing that I want to be thinking about. If they really cared about us, you would expect them to try a little bit harder to keep my grandfather from separating us. That's their problem though, and Surion is dead. That has to count for something, and if S.M. wants to try, then... I'm going to do what I can. She's my little sister, and even though she's not exactly happy about this either... We're going to do what we feel up to doing. If it ends in disaster, so be it. My parents made their beds ages ago, and that's their problem."</p><p>"I'm sure that you're going to make the right choice no matter what," Kanoa assured her with a light smile before she took another swig of her drink. "We're going to be graduating soon. It's hard to believe that we're already leaving this place behind after everything that's happened. It almost doesn't feel right that we're graduating after all of this fighting. We're leaving the underclassmen to deal with so much conflict."</p><p>Mina's gaze shifted over to a nearby table where S.M. and the rest of her friends were sitting. They began to roar with laughter when one of them, a redhead with countless curls, told a joke. Luce planted her hand in Sylvia's hair and began to rub, earning even more noisy giggling from her companion. Nebula had firmly shoved her face into her hands, and Anneliese wrapped an arm around her shoulders before poking her lightly in the cheek. Somehow, the laughter of the teenagers at the table only got louder with this simple gesture. </p><p>Mina took a firm bite of her cookie and shrugged her shoulders as a smile spread across her face. A few crumbs fell loose of her lips, but she barely seemed to mind at all. "I'm sure they'll be fine."</p><p>~~~~~</p><p>It was almost cruel how beautiful the evening was compared to everything that had taken place earlier in the day. The weather was perfect, and nobody on the campus of Alitia seemed at all bothered by the knowledge that they had been fighting a war on Igni just a few mere hours earlier. The refreshments, while few and far between, set the mood perfectly. This was simply a get together that had been planned at the last moment, and it was all that they needed to enjoy themselves given the burdens that past and present had offered them. </p><p>Luce had to admit that she was happy she had come despite her previous doubts. She and the rest of the girls were enjoying themselves immensely, and Cessair had been given the chance to show off her affinity for puns when the attention was placed on her for a few brief moments. Luce's cheeks hurt from smiling, and she decided that she never wanted this to leave. War was something that she could certainly do without, but Luce was going to treasure these fleeting moments more than anything else even on days when it felt like the world was falling apart around her. </p><p>It was after Carys offered a witty comment that a phone began to pierce the air with its shrill ring. Luce frowned and shoved one hand into her pocket to check that it wasn't hers, and others at the table mimicked the action before Sophia's cheeks were painted with pink. "Sorry about that," Sophia said meekly as she pushed herself away from the table and rose to her feet. "I bet that this is important, so I should go on and take it. You guys can keep having fun. I'll be back in a moment."</p><p>Nobody objected to Sophia's words, seeming to understand that she wasn't going to accept any protests in that moment. Sophia began to walk away as she pressed a button on the screen of her phone to accept the call, and Luce watched her from afar before another snarky remark from elsewhere in the table grabbed her attention and made her laugh. She wasn't even fully aware of what had been said, but she was having too much fun to care. The evening was perfect, and even after life had been nothing short of hell in the past few months, Luce felt as if everything was going to be alright at long last. </p><p>Nearby, Sophia allowed her phone to rest against her cheek. She allowed the device's smooth service to keep her grounded against the world around her. She had recognized the person who was calling her, and it was the only reason that she was answering the phone. Otherwise, she would have declined the call until after the festivities ended. She felt that it was important enough to merit responding to regardless of how much she wanted to. </p><p>"Hello?" Sophia questioned softly, praying that the person on the other side had good news rather than bad. She could already feel her stomach knotting though, and she realized that her instincts had offered their judgement, and she doubted that she would be able to dispel her concerns. </p><p>Sure enough, the words that answered her from the other side of the call made her eyes go wide, and Sophia fell completely silent as she processed what was being said. Before she knew it, there were tears streaming down her face, and even if she refused to release a sob, Sophia allowed herself to be a statuesque portrayal of grief. She had thought that she could have everything, but in that moment, the ground was snatched from beneath her feet, and she knew that she had nothing when push came to shove. </p><p>All she could do was cry silently into the phone, and so, she did, glad that the other person wasn't waiting for a response. </p><p>~~~~~</p><p>There was someone at the door. </p><p>Cryon Elenes didn't know why he would be receiving visitors so late at night. Most of the other mercenaries had gone to sleep, and it was a clear evening like any other. Only Sinin was still awake as far as Cryon could tell, and the wizard was engaged deeply in a new book that he had bought. He wasn't going to be easily disturbed, and that left the door as an issue for Cryon to take care of. It wasn't that he particularly minded, but curiosity still pulled at his stomach. Night had fallen hours prior, so why would anybody be coming to see him and the mercenaries of his company then? Why couldn't it wait until morning? </p><p>Cryon twisted the knob beneath his fingers, and he opened the door to see a woman standing in front of him. She was slender with a pleasant smile that hid the true extent of the malice hiding beneath the surface. She watched him carefully, examining his every movement almost as if she expected him to run at any moment. Her blonde hair was cut close to her face in a bob, and an elaborate crown rested atop her head. She wore a set of yellow robes with white accents that made her look angelic and heavenly. </p><p>"Hello, Cryon," said Leora Amdel, that striking smile piercing his soul without a second thought. Her head tilted slightly to the side, the embodiment of her perceived innocence. "It's been quite some time, hasn't it?"</p><p>
  <em>Oh, you have got to be fucking kidding me. </em>
</p><p>Cryon forced a smile onto his face despite every instinct in his body telling him to run away as soon as he could. He hadn't expected to ever see her again. In fact, he had been hoping that their paths would remain separate forever into the future, but it seemed that fate had different plans for them both. </p><p>"Hello, Leora." </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Oh my god it's actually over what the fuck the main plot is over</p><p>Okay I'll leave all my sappy stuff for the author's note in the next chapter but guys that's the second book done what the fuck</p><p>-Digital</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0051"><h2>51. Character Descriptions & Post-Book Notes</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Character profiles for every character in Alitia: Crown of Ash. HEAVY SPOILERS AHEAD. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>Foreword</b>
</p><p>
  <em>Well… Wow. We’re here, everyone. I really don’t know what to say. After all this time, I’ve managed to make it through the first and second Alitia books. This time around, I started this book on March 9, 2020, and I’m finishing it off on February 9, 2021. You might notice something about these dates. Yep… This book was written almost entirely over quarantine. The only exception is the first two chapters that were written less than a week before isolation began in my area. Yeah. I didn’t expect to still be here in quarantine almost a year later either, but here we are.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Now, let’s get into the mushy stuff! Thank you to everyone who has read this book and come this far with me. Two books down, only [redacted] left to go! I’ve had so much fun with this series so far, and I’m hoping that you’ll continue to stick it out with me for some time to come as we move into future installments.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Next, I’m going to thank my lovely collaborators who made Alitia possible. Thank you so much to Niamh, Polly, Lily, and Lillian for everything they’ve done to make this possible. You can read about the characters that they’ve made down below in all their spoilery glory, and they’re listed as Ace, Hatty, Shiny, and Phoenix respectively.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Finally, it’s time to talk about future installments! I’m taking this chance to announce the third book in the Alitia series, which will be released a week from today! Yeah, that’s right! No hiatus this time around; I was smart enough to plan in advance during Crown of Ash about what was happening in the next book, something that I neglected to do between the first and second books. There’s no break this time since I actually decided to use my brain cells for once. Woohoo!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Below, you can find character profiles for everyone in Crown of Ash. This is how I finished the previous book, and I’m doing it here too. HEAVY SPOILER WARNING AHEAD, the same as the previous book. If you’re looking for more content beyond that though, you can check out my discord server and talk with other people who are fans of Alitia as well as my collaborators. It might make the wait between books, even if it’s shorter, a little bit less painful on your part. Plus, I’m always open to talking about my work if that’s something that interests you.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>With all of that said, here we go! It’s character profile time! I’ll see you next week for the first chapter of the third book: ‘In Heavenly Light’!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>One last time,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>-Digital</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Note: Only characters who first appear in COA get a Likes/Dislikes section.</em>
</p><hr/><p>
  <b>Name: Luce Elenes</b>
</p><p>Age: 17</p><p>Gender: Female</p><p>Birthday: June 19</p><p>Race: Mage</p><p>Magic: Starlight, minor Moonlight Blessing</p><p>Practice: Light</p><p>Orientation: Alitia, Cryon’s Mercenaries, Second Camaraderie</p><p>Planet of Origin: Amity</p><p>Occupation: Mercenary</p><p>Creator: Digital</p><p>Luce acts as the unofficial leader of the Second Camaraderie, a group established during the Thanatos War. She still suffers from the pull of the war against Iago and holds immense animosity towards him that is only exacerbated by Surion’s attempts to destroy Igni’s resistance force. Her mother, Dawn, acted as the Keeper of Starlight prior to her abrupt disappearance many years ago. Luce fights alongside the rest of the Second Camaraderie throughout the civil war on Igni.</p><p>
  <b>Name: Iris Pembroke</b>
</p><p>Age: 18</p><p>Gender: Female</p><p>Birthday: December 13</p><p>Race: Mage</p><p>Magic: Metal</p><p>Practice: Light</p><p>Orientation: Alitia, Second Camaraderie</p><p>Planet of Origin: Loduke</p><p>Occupation: Knight</p><p>Creator: Hatty</p><p>Iris is a knight training to enlist in the service of the Loduke army like others in her lineage, and she is Anneliese’s close childhood friend. She fought alongside the rest of her team in the Thanatos War at the conclusion of their previous semester at Alitia. Iris gladly joined the fight against Surion and the Alight Five for the sake of defending S.M. and Igni’s leaths. She continues to stand alongside the rest of the rebellion faction until the war draws to a close and the leaths are victorious.</p><p>
  <b>Name: Sophia Greeves</b>
</p><p>Age: 17</p><p>Gender: Female</p><p>Birthday: June 21</p><p>Race: Mage</p><p>Magic: Nature</p><p>Practice: Light</p><p>Orientation: Alitia, Second Camaraderie</p><p>Planet of Origin: Fortunia</p><p>Occupation: Princess</p><p>Creator: Shiny</p><p>Sophia is the princess of Fortunia, but much of her history remains shrouded in mystery due to her preferring to keep herself to secrecy. She holds a tense relationship with her family due to her arranged marriage with a man by the name of Colin Broach. Sophia acts as the primary healer among the Second Camaraderie, and she maintains this position throughout the war on Igni. After the fighting draws to a close, Sophia receives a strange message from an unknown figure with dark implications, but none but her know what it could have said.</p><p>
  <b>Name: Sylvia Loveknot</b>
</p><p>Age: 17</p><p>Gender: Female</p><p>Birthday: May 7</p><p>Race: Mage</p><p>Magic: Energy</p><p>Practice: Light</p><p>Orientation: Alitia, Second Camaraderie</p><p>Planet of Origin: Hiloft</p><p>Occupation: Princess</p><p>Creator: Hatty</p><p>Sylvia is the youngest princess of Hiloft, and in the aftermath of the Thanatos War, the curse on her has been lifted. She has grown to be far more optimistic and outgoing as a result, and her relationship with her siblings, Myra and Chester, has grown stronger as well. Sylvia stands by Luce, her partner and close companion, throughout her struggles over the past war. She continues to fight with the rest of the Second Camaraderie until Igni is freed from its oppressive upper class.</p><p>
  <b>Name: S.M. Maestre</b>
</p><p>Age: 18</p><p>Gender: Female</p><p>Birthday: October 21</p><p>Race: Mage</p><p>Magic: Geothermal energy</p><p>Practice: Light</p><p>Orientation: Alitia, Second Camaraderie</p><p>Planet of Origin: Igni</p><p>Occupation: Student</p><p>Creator: Phoenix</p><p>S.M. is a disowned daughter of a princess from Igni. She was abandoned due to possessing leath blood from her father, and Surion held contempt for her for many years as a result. Surion used her as a scapegoat in the aftermath of Octavia’s death, planning to eliminate her. S.M. became the target of the Alight Five due to Surion’s orders, but she managed to elude their grasp until the civil war began. She was revealed as the Sealed of Scorpio after becoming the first one to undergo her Sealing.</p><p>
  <b>Name: Helena Palpatine</b>
</p><p>Age: 18</p><p>Gender: Female</p><p>Birthday: November 11</p><p>Race: Mage</p><p>Magic: Fire</p><p>Practice: Light</p><p>Orientation: Alitia, Second Camaraderie</p><p>Planet of Origin: Etruna</p><p>Occupation: Princess</p><p>Creator: Ace</p><p>Helena is the older out of the twin princesses of Etruna. Due to having weaker magic than her sister, Helena was left as second-in-line for the throne and was treated as an afterthought more often than not, leading to an increased attachment to Carys. Helena stood by Carys throughout the difficulties that they endured following her capture, allowing them to start to move away from the pain of the past. Helena and Carys continued to fight alongside one another and the rest of their team throughout the war.</p><p>
  <b>Name: Carys Palpatine</b>
</p><p>Age: 18</p><p>Gender: Female</p><p>Birthday: November 11</p><p>Race: Mage</p><p>Magic: Ice</p><p>Practice: Light</p><p>Orientation: Alitia, Second Camaraderie</p><p>Planet of Origin: Etruna</p><p>Occupation: Princess</p><p>Creator: Ace</p><p>Carys is the younger princess of Etruna and the heir to the throne. She was often prioritized throughout her youth due to her advantage of power over her sister, and Carys was treated as better than those around her as a result. She began to move away from this mentality following her capture by Faerner, ending with her becoming the Sealed One of Gemini. Carys grew distant from her parents after realizing that their treatment of Helena wasn’t right, prompting her to stand by her sister from that point on.</p><p>
  <b>Name: Tanith Satim</b>
</p><p>Age: 17 (assumed; true age unknown)</p><p>Gender: Female</p><p>Birthday: December 16 (date of adoption; true date unknown)</p><p>Race: Mage</p><p>Magic: Air</p><p>Practice: Light</p><p>Orientation: Alitia, Second Camaraderie</p><p>Planet of Origin: Millennia (assumed; true origin unknown)</p><p>Occupation: Student</p><p>Creator: Digital</p><p>Tanith is the adopted daughter of Zylphia and Jin and a mage of dubious origins. Her past remains a mystery, but she is known to have a perfect memory and a particular talent for strategy. She fought alongside the other members of the Second Camaraderie in the war with Igni to defend Millennia. Tanith seems to struggle quietly with her place within the Second Camaraderie. When she engages in a particularly difficult fight, her eyes turn purple despite their regularly blue color.</p><p>
  <b>Name: Cessair Lesulla</b>
</p><p>Age: 16</p><p>Gender: Female</p><p>Birthday: February 2</p><p>Race: Mage</p><p>Magic: Water, minor Moonlight Blessing</p><p>Practice: Light</p><p>Orientation: Alitia, Second Camaraderie</p><p>Planet of Origin: Rivergold</p><p>Occupation: Research Assistant</p><p>Creator: Ace</p><p>Cessair is an assistant to Severine, the history teacher of Alitia, and a water mage. She is partially a fish like most others from her planet, and her demeanor is upbeat and cheerful despite her dreary past. Cessair is also Luce’s aunt due to them sharing ancestry with the Thanatos family. She became an unofficial member of the Second Camaraderie when she was involved with their battles against the Alight Five and remained by their side from that point forward.</p><p>
  <b>Name: Anneliese Tiabeanie</b>
</p><p>Age: 18</p><p>Gender: Female</p><p>Birthday: November 24</p><p>Race: Blend</p><p>Magic: Weapon and Dimension</p><p>Practice: Blend</p><p>Orientation: Sacred Heart, Second Camaraderie</p><p>Planet of Origin: Loduke</p><p>Occupation: Princess</p><p>Creator: Hatty</p><p>Anneliese is the princess of Loduke and a new student at Sacred Heart. She enrolled at the school for witches after the Thanatos War ended and she was allowed to shed her mask of Rune. She and Iris are childhood friends, and Anneliese has grown close with Nebula since enrolling at Sacred Heart. She stood by the rest of her friends throughout the war with Igni despite attending a different school. Anneliese is the only member of the Second Camaraderie to be at the Illunae level rather than Isolis.</p><p>
  <b>Name: Nebula Denholm</b>
</p><p>Age: 18</p><p>Gender: Female</p><p>Birthday: September 4</p><p>Race: Mage</p><p>Magic: Illusions, minor Moonlight Blessing</p><p>Practice: Dark</p><p>Orientation: Sacred Heart, Second Camaraderie</p><p>Planet of Origin: Neyama</p><p>Occupation: Student</p><p>Creator: Ace</p><p>Nebula is a witch attending Sacred Heart known for her prodigious power in the magical arts. She is known for her grace and elegant kindness, but her connection with her older brother is still strained due to years apart. Nebula fights alongside the other members of the Second Camaraderie when the Alight Five start their attacks, and she remains at the side of her companions throughout the war between Igni and Millennia and the civil war of Igni that closely followed.</p><p>
  <b>Name: Cryon Elenes</b>
</p><p>Age: 45</p><p>Gender: Male</p><p>Birthday: November 30</p><p>Race: Leath</p><p>Manifestation: Increased sword skill (enhanced by minor Starlight Blessing and minor Moonlight Blessing)</p><p>Orientation: Ridgeview, Starlight Camaraderie, Amitite Mercenaries</p><p>Planet of Origin: Amity</p><p>Occupation: Mercenary</p><p>Creator: Digital</p><p>Cryon grew up on Amity as a leath alongside his mother after his father abandoned them both. He attended Ridgeview in the aftermath of his mother’s death, and he became part of the Starlight Camaraderie while on Millennia. He retreated to Amity alongside Dawn after the War of Starlight ended, and after her disappearance, Cryon took to raising Luce on his own. He looks after her years after the fact, but he yearns to find Dawn still. His relationship with Leora is notably complicated. He is the Sealed One of Capricorn in Dawn’s generation.</p><p>
  <b>Name: Dawn Shira</b>
</p><p>Age: 45</p><p>Gender: Female</p><p>Birthday: September 27</p><p>Race: Mage</p><p>Magic: Starlight</p><p>Practice: Light</p><p>Orientation: Alitia, Starlight Camaraderie, Church of Starlight</p><p>Planet of Origin: Amity</p><p>Occupation: Keeper of Starlight</p><p>Creator: Digital</p><p>Dawn is the current Keeper of Starlight and a powerful enchantress who led the charge against Ragnor in the War of Starlight. She fell in love with Cryon while attending Alitia, and she became notably close with Zylphia around this time. After the War of Starlight, Dawn disappeared alongside Cryon, and the two had Luce while on Amity. Dawn has since gone missing once again following an assassination attempt that almost took her daughter’s life, and her current location is unknown. She is the Sealed One of Taurus.</p><p>
  <b>Name: Zylphia Satim</b>
</p><p>Age: 44</p><p>Gender: Female</p><p>Birthday: February 11</p><p>Race: Mage</p><p>Magic: Electricity, minor Starlight Blessing</p><p>Practice: Light</p><p>Orientation: Alitia, Starlight Camaraderie</p><p>Planet of Origin: Aerania</p><p>Occupation: Headmistress of Alitia</p><p>Creator: Digital</p><p>Zylphia is the headmistress of Alitia and Tanith’s adopted mother. She grew up on Aerania, a planet known for its hostility, before setting out for Alitia as a teenager. Her stoic nature led her to become an accomplished general and enchantress in the War of Starlight. Zylphia has since settled down and yearns for peace across Millennia. She is known for being particularly defensive over those that she cares for, and this extends to her daughter throughout the Ignite civil war. She is marked with the sign of Virgo.</p><p>
  <b>Name: Jin Maestro</b>
</p><p>Age: 44</p><p>Gender: Male</p><p>Birthday: January 18</p><p>Race: Mage</p><p>Magic: Charm, minor Starlight Blessing</p><p>Practice: Light</p><p>Orientation: Angelwood, Starlight Camaraderie</p><p>Planet of Origin: Neo-Yen</p><p>Occupation: Headmaster of Angelwood</p><p>Creator: Hatty</p><p>Jin is often hailed as the optimist among the Starlight Camaraderie’s members, and he possesses a naturally infectious demeanor that earns him the admiration of many. He and Zylphia have been close for many years, and Jin is particularly affectionate over their daughter. He detests the idea of anyone he cares for being placed in danger, a clear contrast to his previous position as a leader during the War of Starlight. He can be rather anxious when notably agitated. He is Sealed as the bearer of Leo.</p><p>
  <b>Name: Minerva Claudere</b>
</p><p>Age: 44</p><p>Gender: Female</p><p>Birthday: September 1</p><p>Race: Mage</p><p>Magic: Fire, minor Starlight Blessing</p><p>Practice: Dark</p><p>Orientation: Sacred Heart, Starlight Camaraderie</p><p>Planet of Origin: Pyre</p><p>Occupation: Headmistress of Sacred Heart</p><p>Creator: Digital</p><p>Minerva is the oldest child out of three within the Pyre royal family, and many have come to know her as the ‘wingless witch’. Following a tragic incident, Minerva’s wings were lost, leading to her being disowned by her family and separating her from her younger brother, Leviathan. She became a member of the Starlight Camaraderie and the headmistress of Sacred Heart while away from him. The two finally began to mend their damaged relationship in the interim of the war with Igni, and Minerva shared some of her life force with Leviathan when he was on the brink of death, showing both of them as Sealed of Scorpio.</p><p>
  <b>Name: Altina Latheia</b>
</p><p>Age: 45</p><p>Gender: Female</p><p>Birthday: October 30</p><p>Race: Leath</p><p>Manifestation: Learns to use weapons easily (enhanced by minor Starlight Blessing)</p><p>Orientation: Acadia, Starlight Camaraderie</p><p>Planet of Origin: Ranalite</p><p>Occupation: Headmistress of Acadia</p><p>Creator: Digital</p><p>Altina is one of three children born to a noble house on Ranalite, but she was separated from her siblings, December and Salem, in the aftermath of a coup due to their leath heritage. She grew to immense notoriety while alone, and she was named a member of the Starlight Camaraderie and the Headmistress of Acadia. She reunites with both of her siblings during the war with Igni, prompting them to charge through the remainder of the fighting together. She is the Sealed One of Gemini from Dawn’s generation.</p><p>
  <b>Name: Caius Minato</b>
</p><p>Age: 44</p><p>Gender: Male</p><p>Birthday: March 2</p><p>Race: Leath</p><p>Manifestation: Inhuman speed (enhanced by minor Starlight Blessing)</p><p>Orientation: Ridgeview, Starlight Camaraderie</p><p>Planet of Origin: N-Yx</p><p>Occupation: Headmaster of Ridgeview</p><p>Creator: Hatty</p><p>Caius is the headmaster of Ridgeview and a member of the Starlight Camaraderie. He became a general during the War of Starlight prior to settling down in Ridgeview. He was called upon by Shiho and Zaeran to investigate the disappearance of their daughter when they found evidence she was still alive. He collaborated with Leviathan and Aurore to find out the truth, prompting him to stumble upon Cerise’s heritage. He fought alongside the rebellion force due to his bloodline’s stake in leath liberation. He is the Sealed One of Sagittarius.</p><p>
  <b>Name: Fromir Carpathia</b>
</p><p>Age: 40</p><p>Gender: Male</p><p>Birthday: January 15</p><p>Race: Mage</p><p>Magic: Shadows, minor Starlight Blessing</p><p>Practice: Dark</p><p>Orientation: Sierra, Starlight Camaraderie</p><p>Planet of Origin: Neyama</p><p>Occupation: Headmaster of Sierra</p><p>Creator: Ace</p><p>Fromir is Nebula’s older brother and the youngest member of the Starlight Camaraderie. He became the headmaster of Sierra after the War of Starlight ended, though this left him separated from his younger sister, Nebula, a strong majority of the time and placing strain on their relationship. Fromir grew to be close with Leviathan after offering him and Aurore a place to stay as they began their search for Meili. Leviathan and Fromir start a relationship after the war ends. Fromir is marked with the symbol of Aquarius.</p><p>
  <b>Name: Leviathan Prome</b>
</p><p>Age: 40</p><p>Gender: Male</p><p>Birthday: October 13</p><p>Race: Mage</p><p>Magic: Shapeshifting</p><p>Practice: Dark</p><p>Orientation: Sierra, Guardians of Neo-Yen</p><p>Planet of Origin: Pyre</p><p>Occupation: Guardian of Neo-Yen</p><p>Creator: Digital</p><p>Likes: Playing pranks, seeing others smile, dragons</p><p>Dislikes: Rigid rulesets, his parents, cold temperatures</p><p>Leviathan is Minerva’s younger brother and a former prince of Pyre. When he abandoned his heritage due to his love for Minerva, Leviathan enrolled at Sierra. Following graduation, he became a Guardian of Neo-Yen. When Shiho and Zaeran began to search for Meili, Leviathan and Aurore were called upon despite being from a different planet due to Leviathan’s tracking abilities. He grew to be close with Fromir during this time. He repaired his relationship with Minerva before taking a severe hit for her during their battle against Faerner. Minerva tied her life to his, and he became a Sealed One of Scorpio when their essences blended.</p><p>
  <b>Name: Aurore Monroe</b>
</p><p>Age: 45</p><p>Gender: Female</p><p>Birthday: February 3</p><p>Race: Mage</p><p>Magic: Supernova</p><p>Practice: Light</p><p>Orientation: Guardians of Neo-Yen</p><p>Planet of Origin: Neo-Yen</p><p>Occupation: Guardian of Neo-Yen</p><p>Creator: Hatty</p><p>Likes: Her son, kimonos, bright colors</p><p>Dislikes: Sandals, fog, romance novels</p><p>Aurore is a member of the Guardians of Neo-Yen alongside Leviathan, and she is known for being a motherly figure who cares greatly for those around her. Despite her personality varying greatly with Leviathan’s, the two get along incredibly well. Aurore joined the effort to track Meili alongside Leviathan and Caius, and the three eventually uncovered the truth behind Cerise’s heritage together. When the war is finished, Aurore returns alongside Leviathan to Neo-Yen to continue fulfilling her Guardian duties.</p><p>
  <b>Name: December Yaenu</b>
</p><p>Age: 45</p><p>Gender: Female</p><p>Birthday: October 30</p><p>Race: Leath</p><p>Manifestation: Increased sword proficiency (enhanced by major Moonlight Blessing)</p><p>Orientation: Alight Five</p><p>Planet of Origin: Ranalite</p><p>Occupation: Alight Five Leader</p><p>Creator: Digital</p><p>Likes: Swordplay, Cerise, tea</p><p>Dislikes: Igni, Surion, loud noises</p><p>December is the leader of the Alight Five and the oldest member of the group. She is a leath who lived on Ranalite prior to her family falling victim to a coup due to their hidden leath heritage. December was separated from her siblings and wound up on Igni where her proficiency with a blade earned her a position as a general. She adopted Cerise after earning her status, keeping her lack of magic hidden. December went on to fight against Surion after reuniting with her siblings.</p><p>
  <b>Name: Cerise Yaenu</b>
</p><p>Age: 17</p><p>Gender: Female</p><p>Birthday: July 12</p><p>Race: Blend</p><p>Magic: Electricity and Moon, major Moonlight Blessing</p><p>Practice: Blend</p><p>Orientation: Alight Five</p><p>Planet of Origin: N-Yx</p><p>Occupation: Alight Five Member</p><p>Creator: Digital</p><p>Likes: Time alone, reading, combat</p><p>Dislikes: Sour foods, lances, egotism</p><p>Cerise is the youngest member of the Alight Five known for her stoicism and detached nature. She was taken in by December after strange circumstances caused her to end up on Igni, unaware of her past as a princess of N-Yx. Cerise was abducted due to being a Blend that Surion wished to mold into a soldier. After discovering the truth, Cerise abandoned her title as an Ignite general and fought alongside the leath resistance force. In a surprising twist of fate, she became the Sealed One of Aries.</p><p>
  <b>Name: River Scorn</b>
</p><p>Age: 28</p><p>Gender: Nonbinary</p><p>Birthday: September 2</p><p>Race: Mage</p><p>Magic: Ash, major Moonlight Blessing</p><p>Practice: Dark</p><p>Orientation: Alight Five</p><p>Planet of Origin: Igni</p><p>Occupation: Alight Five Member</p><p>Creator: Hatty</p><p>Likes: Rain, the cold, mountains</p><p>Dislikes: Training, punishment, heat</p><p>River is a member of the Alight Five known for their uncontrollable magic. They lack any sense of dominion over their ash powers due to being forced to exert raw power from an unhealthily young age. River was taken back to Millennia by Carys when the latter made her escape from the palace of Igni, and they decided to stay there after finally finding peace. They received a minor Moonlight Blessing through their dreams, and they fought with the people of Millennia from then on.</p><p>
  <b>Name: Eros Aldegund</b>
</p><p>Age: 25</p><p>Gender: Male</p><p>Birthday: February 14</p><p>Race: Leath</p><p>Manifestation: Increased physical strength (enhanced by major Moonlight Blessing)</p><p>Orientation: Alight Five</p><p>Planet of Origin: Igni</p><p>Occupation: Alight Five Member</p><p>Creator: Ace</p><p>Likes: Axes, fighting, hot weather</p><p>Dislikes: Mages, children, being bossed around</p><p>Eros is a member of the Alight Five and a leath masquerading as a mage. He lived in the poorer areas of Igni throughout his childhood as his mother struggled to provide for them both. Following her death by exhaustion, Eros took his revenge against the noble mages responsible and stole the axe that he uses in combat to gain enough power to hopefully one day kill Surion and uproot his system. After he escaped being blackmailed by Faerer, he took up a position as Briyana’s right hand to free Igni’s leaths from oppression.</p><p>
  <b>Name: Arisu</b>
</p><p>Age: 24</p><p>Gender: Nonbinary</p><p>Birthday: December 31</p><p>Race: Mage</p><p>Magic: Soundwaves, major Moonlight Blessing</p><p>Practice: Dark</p><p>Orientation: Alight Five</p><p>Planet of Origin: Igni</p><p>Occupation: Alight Five Member</p><p>Creator: Phoenix</p><p>Likes: Sports, battle, accessories</p><p>Dislikes: Money, poverty, the quiet</p><p>Arisu is a hyperactive member of the Alight Five. They grew up on the poorer side within Igni, and they were taken in by the fighting force after their magic was uncovered. Many wanted to be the one to train a fighter with such rare and potent magic. Arisu rose to the status of general and became a member of the Alight Five. They hold little allegiance to Igni itself, caring more about their fellow fighters than the planet as a whole. Arisu betrays the Ignite army to fight alongside the resistance when civil war begins.</p><p>
  <b>Name: Briyana Frazier</b>
</p><p>Age: 27</p><p>Gender: Female</p><p>Birthday: February 28</p><p>Race: Leath</p><p>Manifestation: Can influence thoughts and motives of others through words</p><p>Orientation: Ignite Leath Resistance</p><p>Planet of Origin: Igni</p><p>Occupation: Resistance Leader</p><p>Creator: Digital</p><p>Likes: Warm weather, socializing, writing</p><p>Dislikes: Surion, hiding, Igni’s class structure</p><p>Briyana is the leader of the leath resistance on Igni. She grew up on Igni in poverty, leading to her becoming an orphan forced to steal from a young age to survive. The deaths of her parents led her to push for change, and she founded the resistance when she grew older. Briyana led the charge to defeat Surion and ultimately killed him when the rebellion reached its tipping point. She is known for her proficiency with many weapons despite her manifestation not influencing her skills in combat.</p><p>
  <b>Name: Salem Latheia</b>
</p><p>Age: 45</p><p>Gender: Male</p><p>Birthday: October 30</p><p>Race: Mage</p><p>Manifestation: Increased skill for strategy</p><p>Orientation: Aeranian Royal Family</p><p>Planet of Origin: Ranalite</p><p>Occupation: Researcher</p><p>Creator: Digital</p><p>Likes: Reading, history, puzzles</p><p>Dislikes: Combat, fire, physical activity</p><p>Salem is the youngest of the Latheia siblings and a leath with incredible strategic might. Following the fallout on Ranalite, he wound up on Aerania. He was taken in by the king and given the instructions to find out more about the planet’s secret workings. Salem later abandoned Aerania upon hearing word of Altina and December’s reunion, prompting him to travel to Igni to meet them. He acted as the strategist for the battle against Surion’s forces despite his lack of combat ability.</p><p>
  <b>Name: Duncan Crawford</b>
</p><p>Age: 45</p><p>Gender: Male</p><p>Birthday: January 26</p><p>Race: Mage</p><p>Magic: Mind</p><p>Practice: Dark</p><p>Orientation: Unknown</p><p>Planet of Origin: Neyama</p><p>Occupation: Bookkeeper</p><p>Creator: Ace</p><p>Likes: Books, peace and quiet, coffee</p><p>Dislikes: Ragnor, rowdy people, religion</p><p>Duncan owns a bookshop within Millennium City that contains all sorts of volumes and tomes. His past is largely a mystery, but he seems to hold significant regrets over his actions of the past. He has crossed paths with Tanith a few times since she frequents his shop, but the two are still far from being particularly close. Duncan is also acquainted with Salem, as he would occasionally sneak away from Aerania to investigate the books found on Millennia that Aerania often lacked, though the two are once again far from being close.</p><p>
  <b>Name: Surion Maestre</b>
</p><p>Age: 76</p><p>Gender: Male</p><p>Birthday: July 21</p><p>Race: Mage</p><p>Magic: Geothermal energy, major Moonlight Blessing</p><p>Practice: Dark</p><p>Orientation: Ignite Royal Family</p><p>Planet of Origin: Igni</p><p>Occupation: King of Igni</p><p>Creator: Digital</p><p>Likes: Being in control, mages, feeling powerful</p><p>Dislikes: Leaths, being questioned, lacking authority</p><p>Surion is the king of Igni who has been in control for multiple decades. He has maintained a reputation for being harsh against leaths, greatly preferring mages and allowing those similar to him to rise to power without hesitation. Surion’s hatred of leaths led him to order the death of his granddaughter and heir, Octavia, when she began to work with Briyana’s rebellion forces. He ordered the Alight Five to combat soon afterwards in an attempt to stifle his foes, but his attempts ended in defeat when he died in the following battle.</p><p>
  <b>Name: Faerner</b>
</p><p>Age: Unknown</p><p>Gender: Male</p><p>Birthday: Unknown</p><p>Race: Mage</p><p>Magic: Unknown, major Moonlight Blessing</p><p>Practice: Unknown</p><p>Orientation: Unknown</p><p>Planet of Origin: Unknown</p><p>Occupation: Assassin</p><p>Creator: Digital</p><p>Likes: Unknown</p><p>Dislikes: Unknown</p><p>Faerner is an assassin of dubious origins who allied with Surion during the battles related to Igni. He was hired to kill Octavia without getting the Alight FIve involved, and he succeeded in his mission before becoming a shadow within the Ignite capital. He poisoned Carys, leading to her Sealing, before blackmailing Eros with his leath heritage. Faerner’s attacks against Minerva and Leviathan prompted the two siblings to tie their souls together, and Faerner was severely injured in the process before disappearing. His current location is unknown.</p><p>
  <b>Name: Octavia Maestre</b>
</p><p>Age: 19</p><p>Gender: Female</p><p>Birthday: February 23</p><p>Race: Mage</p><p>Magic: Earth</p><p>Practice: Dark</p><p>Orientation: Ignite Royal Family</p><p>Planet of Origin: Igni</p><p>Occupation: Crown Princess of Igni</p><p>Creator: Digital</p><p>Likes: Briyana, public speaking, daydreaming</p><p>Dislikes: Combat, Surion, snakes</p><p>Octavia was the crown princess of Igni set to inherit the throne after Surion’s demise. She was known for being a people-pleaser who wanted to see as many people happy as possible. She collaborated with Briyana to try and bring equality to leaths. Octavia’s grandfather had her killed by Faerner after her ideals were exposed, unwilling to change his mind about her philosophies. Octavia’s death was used as the starting point for the Alight Five’s charges against Millennia, and later, the Ignite civil war.</p><p>
  <b>Name: Erika Linux</b>
</p><p>Age: 30</p><p>Gender: Female</p><p>Birthday: April 1</p><p>Race: Mage</p><p>Magic: Animal</p><p>Practice: Dark</p><p>Orientation: Alitia</p><p>Planet of Origin: Kanis</p><p>Occupation: Teacher</p><p>Creator: Digital</p><p>Erika is a teacher at Alitia known for focusing around classes based in flight. She spoke with Luce’s class briefly about wings and how they tie in with magic regarding the type of fighter a person is, and she explained the rumors of the wingless witch along the way. Erika held back when the combat began between Millennia and Igni, though she did work to defend Alitia during the invasions that followed. She remained on Alitia as a defensive measure throughout the war itself.</p><p>
  <b>Name: Pepper Melan</b>
</p><p>Age: 25</p><p>Gender: Female</p><p>Birthday: September 23</p><p>Race: Mage</p><p>Magic: Symbols</p><p>Practice: Dark</p><p>Orientation: Sacred Heart</p><p>Planet of Origin: Neyama</p><p>Occupation: Teacher</p><p>Creator: Digital</p><p>Likes: Parties, social situations, being interrupted</p><p>Dislikes: Waiting, egotism, bitter foods</p><p>Pepper is a teacher at Sacred Heart who teaches a class revolving around small charms and magical symbols. Her proficiency with the matter is unmatched, and she is able to easily determine the origin and purpose behind many enchantments and curses. Pepper was called in to investigate the cause of River’s Moonlight Blessing, and she concluded that the Keeper of Moonlight had found the ability to offer power from afar, indicating that he possessed an unknown higher power compared to past Keepers.</p><p>
  <b>Name: Michaela Apollo</b>
</p><p>Age: 45</p><p>Gender: Female</p><p>Birthday: August 29</p><p>Race: Mage</p><p>Magic: Light, minor Starlight Blessing</p><p>Practice: Light</p><p>Orientation: Alitia</p><p>Planet of Origin: Amity</p><p>Occupation: Teacher</p><p>Creator: Digital</p><p>Michaela is a combat teacher at Alitia who focuses on magical arts. She is known for her gentle demeanor despite her affinity for battle, and many find her to be soothing and caring. Michaela and Luce have grown rather close since the latter came to attend classes at Alitia, and Michaela’s kind nature has helped Luce to open up about her scars involving the Thanatos War. Despite seemingly being rather open, Michaela has quite a few secrets, most notably about where her Starlight Blessing came from.</p><p>
  <b>Name: Karver Denholm</b>
</p><p>Age: 44</p><p>Gender: Male</p><p>Birthday: February 3</p><p>Race: Dark</p><p>Magic: Shadows, minor Moonlight Blessing</p><p>Practice: Dark</p><p>Orientation: Sacred Heart</p><p>Planet of Origin: Enmity</p><p>Occupation: Teacher</p><p>Creator: Ace</p><p>Karver is a teacher at Sacred Heart and the father of Nebula. The two are rather close, but Karver’s relationship with Fromir remains strained and difficult to navigate on both ends. Karver is known for being incredibly protective over Nebula, and he possesses a relaxed demeanor that often relaxes those around him. Karver was once associated with Ragnor, hence the presence of his Moonlight Blessing, but the true origins of such a gift are a secret he wishes to not share.</p><p>
  <b>Name: Alistair Ogun</b>
</p><p>Age: 29</p><p>Gender: Male</p><p>Birthday: July 24</p><p>Race: Mage</p><p>Magic: Fire</p><p>Practice: Light</p><p>Orientation: Alitia, formerly Angelwood</p><p>Planet of Origin: Etruna</p><p>Occupation: Teacher, Researcher</p><p>Creator: Digital</p><p>Alistair is a magical researcher at Alitia known for his prowess within the arcane arts. He was once a student at Angelwood the same time that Lianna was attending classes at Alitia, and the two came to be close friends along the way. Alistair continued his research into magic throughout the course of the war between Millennia and Igni, and he went on to aid the charge on Igni in the name of the leath resistance while most of the other Alitia professors stayed behind.</p><p>
  <b>Name: Lianna Morgana</b>
</p><p>Age: 29</p><p>Gender: Female</p><p>Birthday: March 3</p><p>Race: Mage</p><p>Magic: Water, minor Starlight Blessing, minor Moonlight Blessing</p><p>Practice: Light</p><p>Orientation: Amitite Mercenaries, formerly Alitia</p><p>Planet of Origin: Amity</p><p>Occupation: Mercenary</p><p>Creator: Digital</p><p>Lianna is a member of Cryon’s mercenary group and a water mage who spent many of her later years looking after Luce. She was tasked by Dawn to ensure that Luce was safe, and Lianna followed up on her mission by joining the mercenary team after her graduation from Alitia. Lianna maintains a close relationship with Luce and longs to see her happy and safe. Lianna attended classes at the same time as Alistair, and the two have remained good friends even years later.</p><p>
  <b>Name: Mina Maestre</b>
</p><p>Age: 20</p><p>Gender: Female</p><p>Birthday: November 27</p><p>Race: Mage</p><p>Magic: Geothermal energy</p><p>Practice: Light</p><p>Orientation: Alitia</p><p>Planet of Origin: Igni</p><p>Occupation: Student</p><p>Creator: Phoenix</p><p>Mina is S.M.’s older sister and a disowned royal from Igni. She was abandoned by their parents shortly before she set out for Alitia, and Mina has been fiercely protective over S.M. ever since she lost all other familial connections. Mina wants to ensure that S.M. is safe above all else, and she is defensive over her sister from afar when possible. Mina is particularly close with Kanoa, a witch attending classes at Sacred Heart, and the two have been together as a couple for quite some time.</p><p>
  <b>Name: Kanoa Ililau</b>
</p><p>Age: 20</p><p>Gender: Female</p><p>Birthday: June 1</p><p>Race: Mage</p><p>Magic: Aquatic life</p><p>Practice: Dark</p><p>Orientation: Sacred Heart</p><p>Planet of Origin: Rivergold</p><p>Occupation: Student</p><p>Creator: Digital</p><p>Likes: Being outside, gardening, swimming</p><p>Dislikes: Feeling trapped, loud spaces, cold weather</p><p>Kanoa is a relaxed and caring witch taking classes at Sacred Heart. Unlike most other dark mages who struggle with healing magic, Kanoa can effortlessly recover most injuries. She is Mina’s girlfriend, and the two have been close for many months. Kanoa fights alongside Mina in the various attacks across Millennia and Igni. Kanoa is naturally cautious and defensive when it comes to S.M. even though the two don’t know each other well because of how much Mina cares for her.</p><p>
  <b>Name: Myra Loveknot</b>
</p><p>Age: 21</p><p>Gender: Female</p><p>Birthday: October 22</p><p>Race: Mage</p><p>Magic: Metamorphosis</p><p>Practice: Dark</p><p>Orientation: Sacred Heart</p><p>Planet of Origin: Hiloft</p><p>Occupation: Princess</p><p>Creator: Hatty</p><p>Myra is Chester’s twin sister and Sylvia’s older sibling. She attends classes at Sacred Heart, and she has grown far more open and caring to those around her since she was freed from the grasp of Iago at the conclusion of the Thanatos War. She is set to be graduating at the conclusion of the coming year alongside Chester, Violet, Mina, and Kanoa. Myra has found love in Violet, and the two are moving into the further stages of their relationship as the Ignite civil war rages on.</p><p>
  <b>Name: Chester Loveknot</b>
</p><p>Age: 21</p><p>Gender: Male</p><p>Birthday: October 22</p><p>Race: Mage</p><p>Magic: Gemstones</p><p>Practice: Dark</p><p>Orientation: Sierra</p><p>Planet of Origin: Hiloft</p><p>Occupation: Prince</p><p>Creator: Hatty</p><p>Chester is twins with Myra and Sylvia’s older brother. He is a cantor with a cheerful and kind demeanor, but he has a strong aversion to witnessing relationships from most other people. Chester was freed from the Thanatos curse following Iago’s death, and he regained his previous sense of self. He continues to recover from the actions of the past throughout the struggles between Igni and Millennia. Chester worked through the civil war alongside many other students from Sierra.</p><p>
  <b>Name: Violet Sinclair</b>
</p><p>Age: 20</p><p>Gender: Female</p><p>Birthday: March 1</p><p>Race: Leath</p><p>Manifestation: Increased bow and arrow proficiency</p><p>Orientation: Acadia</p><p>Planet of Origin: Kanis</p><p>Occupation: Student</p><p>Creator: Hatty</p><p>Likes: Myra, acting, cool outfits</p><p>Dislikes: Mud, high heels, shields</p><p>Violet is a student attending classes at Acadia and Myra’s new girlfriend. She is incredibly affectionate with her partner, often using nicknames to refer to Myra when she gets the chance. Despite her cheerful demeanor, Violet was involved with the Thanatos War months prior, and she fought in the notable battle at Acadia before the school fell to ruin. Violet fought once again when Igni began to threaten invasion on Millennia, and she pressed on through the civil war as well.</p><p>
  <b>Name: Shiho Liu</b>
</p><p>Age: 52</p><p>Gender: Female</p><p>Birthday: March 12</p><p>Race: Mage</p><p>Magic: Moon</p><p>Practice: Dark</p><p>Orientation: N-Yx Royal Family</p><p>Planet of Origin: N-Yx</p><p>Occupation: Queen of N-Yx</p><p>Creator: Digital</p><p>Likes: Nighttime, peace, her family</p><p>Dislikes: Separation, silence, Surion</p><p>Shiho is the queen of N-Yx and Cerise’s mother. After her youngest daughter was stolen by unknown forces, she began to suffer under her own grief and grew reclusive. She is incredibly sensitive and has become hesitant to reach out to many people, and Shiho is fiercely defensive of her family. She enlisted the aid of Caius, Aurore, and Leviathan to track Meili when she learned that her daughter was still alive. She attempted to reach out to Cerise when the truth came out, and she remains patient for the day her daughter accepts her into her life once again.</p><p>
  <b>Name: Zaeran Liu</b>
</p><p>Age: 50</p><p>Gender: Male</p><p>Birthday: January 20</p><p>Race: Mage</p><p>Magic: Electricity</p><p>Practice: Light</p><p>Orientation: N-Yx Royal Family</p><p>Planet of Origin: N-Yx</p><p>Occupation: King of N-Yx</p><p>Creator: Digital</p><p>Likes: Music, reading, late nights</p><p>Dislikes: Early mornings, Igni, hot weather</p><p>Zaeran is the king of N-Yx and Shiho’s husband. He and Shiho had four children together prior to Meili’s abduction. While Shiho gave in and suffered under her despair of losing her youngest child, Zaeran did his best to remain firm in the face of his own pain. He hired Caius, Aurore, and Leviathan to look for Meili after Shiho came to the conclusion that she was still alive. Zaeran continued to remain patient after Cerise was found once again, hoping that their family will one day be together as it should have been from the start.</p><p>
  <b>Name: Ethyn Maestre</b>
</p><p>Age: 42</p><p>Gender: Female</p><p>Birthday: January 7</p><p>Race: Mage</p><p>Magic: Geothermal energy</p><p>Practice: Dark</p><p>Orientation: Ignite Royal Family</p><p>Planet of Origin: Igni</p><p>Occupation: Princess of Igni</p><p>Creator: Digital</p><p>Likes: Her daughters, sweets, late mornings</p><p>Dislikes: Her father, rules, fighting</p><p>Ethyn is the second princess of Igni and the mother of S.M. and Mina. She fell in love with a leath despite her noble upbringing, and she and Frenz had two daughters together. Ethyn barely managed to maintain her place in Surion’s good graces for her rebellion, and she remained on Igni even after her daughters left and began to fight for the resistance forces. After the war, Ethyn attempts to mend her relationship with S.M. and Mina. She looked after Arisu after her daughters left for Alitia since they reminded her of who she had lost.</p><p>
  <b>Name: Frenz Maestre</b>
</p><p>Age: 44</p><p>Gender: Male</p><p>Birthday: June 29</p><p>Race: Leath</p><p>Manifestation: Increased memory capacity</p><p>Orientation: Ignite Royal Family</p><p>Planet of Origin: Unknown</p><p>Occupation: Prince of Igni</p><p>Creator: Digital</p><p>Likes: Sleep, his family, writing</p><p>Dislikes: Poverty, difficult working conditions, long hours</p><p>Frenz is Ethyn’s husband and a leath who once served the Ignite royal family. How he wound up on Igni is still a mystery, but he and Ethyn came to be close when she stopped believing in Surion’s ideals. It was only through Ethyn’s forceful will that she was allowed to marry Frenz at all, but he remains a tense subject in the royal family of Igni. Frenz was forced away from his daughters at Surion’s command when they left for Alitia, but he continued to hope that they would one day reunite.</p><p>
  <b>Name: Dolores Palpatine</b>
</p><p>Age: 51</p><p>Gender: Female</p><p>Birthday: December 3</p><p>Race: Mage</p><p>Magic: Ice</p><p>Practice: Light</p><p>Orientation: Etrunan Royal Family</p><p>Planet of Origin: Etruna</p><p>Occupation: Queen of Etruna</p><p>Creator: Ace</p><p>Likes: Magic, tea, cold weather</p><p>Dislikes: Leaths, spice, those who disobey orders</p><p>Dolores is Helena and Carys’ mother, and she is known to be a fiercely intense woman who knows how to get what she wants. She spoiled Carys throughout the young years of her daughters, favoring Carys greatly over Helena due to her innate magical talents. Helena was left neglected due to Dolores’ lack of tact, and their relationship never recovered from such. Dolores was left appalled at the change in Carys following her Sealing, and she still wonders why Carys spends so much time with Helena despite her clear superiority.</p><p>
  <b>Name: Aimee Liu</b>
</p><p>Age: 24</p><p>Gender: Female</p><p>Birthday: December 21</p><p>Race: Mage</p><p>Magic: Moon</p><p>Practice: Light</p><p>Orientation: N-Yx Royal Family</p><p>Planet of Origin: N-Yx</p><p>Occupation: Princess</p><p>Creator: Digital</p><p>Likes: Religion, late nights, negotiations</p><p>Dislikes: Battle, hot weather, spicy foods</p><p>Aimee is the oldest of the four royal children of N-Yx, and she is set to inherit the throne after her parents resign. She is known for possessing a calming aura that earns her the affection of many others nearly right off the bat. Aimee’s caring nature spurs her into being incredibly protective over her siblings, a lingering pain left behind by Meili’s kidnapping. Aimee extends a hand to Cerise after the truth is uncovered behind her heritage, and Aimee continues to wait patiently for her sister to approach her.</p><p>
  <b>Name: Eneri Liu</b>
</p><p>Age: 22</p><p>Gender: Male</p><p>Birthday: August 12</p><p>Race: Mage</p><p>Magic: Moon</p><p>Practice: Light</p><p>Orientation: N-Yx Royal Family</p><p>Planet of Origin: N-Yx</p><p>Occupation: Princess</p><p>Creator: Digital</p><p>Likes: Tactics, puzzles, the dark</p><p>Dislikes: Bright colors, small talk, loud people</p><p>Eneri is the second of the four siblings in N-Yx’s royal family, and he has garnered a reputation for being somewhat detached and uncaring. He has a high capacity for empathy, but he hides this behind a stoic mask due to all of the harm he internalized following Meili’s disappearance. He is hailed as a tactical genius. Eneri remained with his siblings and parents as they attempted to bridge the gap with Cerise. He is intrigued by her and wants to get to know her better but isn’t sure of how to approach her.</p><p>
  <b>Name: Taemi Liu</b>
</p><p>Age: 21</p><p>Gender: Nonbinary</p><p>Birthday: September 19</p><p>Race: Mage</p><p>Magic: Moon</p><p>Practice: Dark</p><p>Orientation: N-Yx Royal Family</p><p>Planet of Origin: N-Yx</p><p>Occupation: Royal</p><p>Creator: Digital</p><p>Likes: Archery, animals, shiny objects</p><p>Dislikes: Feeling restricted, politics, sand</p><p>Taemi is the third of N-Yx’s royal children, and they are widely known for being a prodigy in battle. They have a natural talent for most weapons, but they prefer to fight with a bow and arrow most of the time. Taemi is easily the most relaxed out of their siblings, wanting to fill the holes in their family’s hearts with laughter rather than grief. They reached out alongside Aimee and Eneri when Meili was discovered to be Cerise but has not yet attempted to fully close the distance formed between them after Meili’s disappearance.</p><p>
  <b>Name: Meili Liu</b>
</p><p>Age: 18</p><p>Gender: Female</p><p>Birthday: December 29</p><p>Race: Blend</p><p>Magic: Electricity and moon</p><p>Practice: Blend</p><p>Orientation: N-Yx Royal Family</p><p>Planet of Origin: N-Yx</p><p>Occupation: Princess</p><p>Creator: Digital</p><p>Meili is the youngest of the four siblings found in the N-Yx royal family. She disappeared many years prior during a diplomatic visit to Igni, and none were sure of where she could have gone. When Shiho began to suspect that Meili yet lived, she called upon Caius, Aurore, and Leviathan to conduct a search. Meili was later revealed to in truth be Cerise, a general of the Alight Five who was unaware of her heritage. Surion had Meili taken from her family to mold her into the perfect soldier for Igni’s army.</p><p>
  <b>Name: Iago Thanatos</b>
</p><p>Age: Deceased</p><p>Gender: Male</p><p>Birthday: June 9</p><p>Race: Mage</p><p>Magic: Possession, major Moonlight Blessing</p><p>Practice: Dark</p><p>Orientation: Sierra, Thanatos Bloodline</p><p>Planet of Origin: Enmity</p><p>Occupation: Leader of the Thanatos Bloodline</p><p>Creator: Hatty</p><p>Iago was the last living leader of the Thanatos family, and he upheld a curse against the royal family of Hiloft. In his desperation to find a suitable heir for the power that he holds, Iago waged war on Millennia a few weeks before the events of ‘Crown of Ash’. He held Myra and Chester under his thumb for many years while manipulating Sylvia from afar through the curse. Iago’s death ended the Thanatos War and saved the Loveknot family from the curse, but the aftermath of his violence remains all too present across Millennia.</p><p>
  <b>Name: Ragnor Malefician</b>
</p><p>Age: Deceased</p><p>Gender: Male</p><p>Birthday: March 2</p><p>Race: Mage</p><p>Magic: Moonlight</p><p>Practice: Dark</p><p>Orientation: Sierra, Church of Moonlight</p><p>Planet of Origin: Enmity</p><p>Occupation: Keeper of Moonlight</p><p>Creator: Ace</p><p>Ragnor was the instigator behind the War of Starlight and was once a student of Sierra. He lost his life against the Starlight Camaraderie during the war, but the traces that he left behind still remain. Because of his actions, the new Keeper of Moonlight is kept under heavy surveillance by the Church of Starlight and is hidden from the rest of the world as compensation for the war. Ragnor gave Karver a Moonlight Blessing at an unknown point that then passed on to his daughter, Nebula.</p><p>
  <b>Name: Keeper of Moonlight</b>
</p><p>Age: Estimated 25</p><p>Gender: Unknown</p><p>Birthday: Unknown</p><p>Race: Mage</p><p>Magic: Moonlight</p><p>Practice: Dark</p><p>Orientation: Church of Moonlight</p><p>Planet of Origin: Enmity</p><p>Occupation: Keeper of Moonlight</p><p>Creator: Unknown</p><p>The current Keeper of Moonlight is a shadowy figure who operates primarily in secret, refusing to step out of the shadows where it can be avoided. They use their power to offer Blessings to those who can fit in with their plans, but their ultimate motives are unknown. Their identity has been kept a secret on behalf of the Church of Moonlight’s agreement with Amity. The Keeper of Moonlight gave a Blessing to the Alight Five along with Faerner and Surion. They abandoned Surion after Faerner’s retreat during the final battle when they recognized their battle was doomed to end in failure. Presumably, they are planning their next attack in the aftermath of the civil war. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Enjoying my work? If you wish to receive updates on when I post new content, feel free to check out my <a href="https://twitter.com/__digitaldreams">Twitter</a><br/>or <a href="https://discord.gg/9MBReeF">Discord server.</a><br/>I occasionally post previews of upcoming stories on both, and there are discussion chats for my series on Discord. Any sharing of my content or other interaction (kudos, comments, bookmarks, etc.) is greatly appreciated. Thank you for reading, and I hope you're liking it so far!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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